Developing a Continuous Quality Improvement Assessment Using a Patient-Centered Approach in Optimizing Systemic Lupus...

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Rheumatology
• Autoimmune Diseases

Background:

• Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex autoimmune disorder characterized by systemic inflammation and multi-organ damage.
• Patients with SLE frequently experience unpredictable symptom flares, often linked to unidentified triggers.
• Exogenous exposures are increasingly recognized as potential contributors to SLE disease activity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify specific subpopulations of SLE patients susceptible to disease flares based on exogenous factors.
• To investigate the correlation between environmental exposures and changes in SLE disease state.
• To lay the groundwork for a global, interactive platform for longitudinal SLE patient monitoring.

Main Methods:

• A global online pilot survey was distributed via social media to self-reported SLE patients.
• Eighty fully completed surveys were statistically analyzed using descriptive statistics.
• Patient-reported data were compared with existing literature on known or theorized SLE triggers.

Main Results:

• The pilot survey identified exogenous triggers consistent with previous literature.
• Commonly reported triggers included antibiotics, increased beef consumption, and the presence of metal implants.
• The findings support the hypothesis that exogenous factors influence SLE symptom exacerbation.

Conclusions:

• Exogenous factors such as certain medications, dietary changes, and medical devices may trigger SLE flares.
• The study validates the use of online surveys for identifying SLE patient triggers.
• Future development of an interactive online platform aims to facilitate continuous quality improvement and optimize SLE patient care through trigger avoidance.