Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Blinding

Blinding

Blinding is a commonly used method of not telling participants which treatment a subject is receiving. Blinding is a critical part of a randomized control trial or RCT. It reduces the bias that affects the results. In an RCT, blinding is used in the form of a placebo. A placebo effect occurs when untreated subjects falsely believe they have received the treatment and report improved symptoms. A placebo or a dummy treatment is administered to subjects to negate the bias caused by such an effect.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Social determinants of vulnerability to nitrogen oxide- and sulfur dioxide-related bone damage among postmenopausal women in the United States.

Frontiers in public health·2026

Same author

Clinical utility of a multianalyte lupus risk score incorporating cell-bound complement activation products: a systematic evaluation.

Lupus science & medicine·2026

Same author

Is pharmacotherapy guideline concordance consistent across patients who received pragmatic treatment for major depressive disorder?

International journal of psychiatry in clinical practice·2026

Same author

Clinical, Histologic, and Serological Predictors of Renal Function Loss in Lupus Nephritis.

Arthritis care & research·2026

Same author

Bias due to interval censored outcomes in a study of flare risk after hydroxychloroquine taper/cessation in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Journal of clinical epidemiology·2026

Same author

Thyroid and depression: Insights from a retrospective real world clinical cohort.

Psychoneuroendocrinology·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 9, 2026

Analyses of Proteinuria, Renal Infiltration of Leukocytes, and Renal Deposition of Proteins in Lupus-prone MRL/lpr Mice

Analyses of Proteinuria, Renal Infiltration of Leukocytes, and Renal Deposition of Proteins in Lupus-prone MRL/lpr Mice

Published on: June 8, 2022

A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Hydroxychloroquine in Incomplete Lupus.

Nancy J Olsen¹, Duanping Liao², Judith A James³

¹Department of Medicine, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania.

Arthritis & Rheumatology (Hoboken, N.J.)

|September 16, 2025

Summary

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) did not prevent progression in patients with incomplete lupus erythematosus (ILE). Further research is needed to understand SLE risk in this population.

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Methodologies and Advancements of Chronic Pain Management Research

Author Spotlight: Methodologies and Advancements of Chronic Pain Management Research

Published on: January 5, 2024

Preliminary Study on Acupuncture Combined with Grain-sized Moxibustion for Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis with Finger Joint Pain

Preliminary Study on Acupuncture Combined with Grain-sized Moxibustion for Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis with Finger Joint Pain

Published on: May 16, 2025

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 9, 2026

Analyses of Proteinuria, Renal Infiltration of Leukocytes, and Renal Deposition of Proteins in Lupus-prone MRL/lpr Mice

Analyses of Proteinuria, Renal Infiltration of Leukocytes, and Renal Deposition of Proteins in Lupus-prone MRL/lpr Mice

Published on: June 8, 2022

Author Spotlight: Methodologies and Advancements of Chronic Pain Management Research

Author Spotlight: Methodologies and Advancements of Chronic Pain Management Research

Published on: January 5, 2024

Preliminary Study on Acupuncture Combined with Grain-sized Moxibustion for Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis with Finger Joint Pain

Preliminary Study on Acupuncture Combined with Grain-sized Moxibustion for Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis with Finger Joint Pain

Published on: May 16, 2025

Area of Science:

Rheumatology
Immunology
Clinical Trials

Background:

Incomplete lupus erythematosus (ILE) is a condition where patients exhibit features of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) but do not meet classification criteria.
ILE patients have an elevated risk of progressing to SLE.
Early intervention in ILE may potentially reduce SLE development and severity.

Purpose of the Study:

To evaluate the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) in reducing the rate of SLE feature accumulation in patients with ILE.
To determine if HCQ can delay or prevent the progression of ILE to SLE classification.

Main Methods:

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (Study of Antimalarials in Incomplete Lupus Erythematosus - SMILE) was conducted.
180 patients with ILE (defined by antinuclear antibody positivity and 1-2 additional criteria) were randomized to receive either HCQ or placebo.
Patients were monitored for 24 months, with early exit if SLE classification criteria were met.

Main Results:

The study analyzed 180 patients (92 on HCQ, 88 on placebo).
There was no significant difference in the rates of acquiring Systemic Lupus Erythematosus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) criteria or progression to SLE between the HCQ and placebo groups (P=0.72 and P=0.98, respectively).
Development of SLE was associated with specific clinical features like malar rash, oral ulcers, joint tenderness, or pleurisy.

Conclusions:

The SMILE trial did not demonstrate a significant effect of HCQ in preventing the progression of ILE to SLE.
The study provides valuable insights into the risk factors and clinical course of SLE in the ILE population.
Further investigation is warranted to explore alternative or adjunctive therapies for ILE management.