Some complement deficiencies predispose to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) early in life. Currently, there are no known unique physiologic or genetic pathways that can explain the variability in disease phenotypes….
This article provides an overview of cutaneous lupus erythematosus, including classification schemes, disease subtypes, and therapy. It also describes the Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus Disease Area and Severity Index, a novel…
Developed countries have better systemic lupus erythematosus survival rates than developing countries, or countries with lower economic performance. This is in part because of a higher human development index, defined…
This article assesses the effect of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) on the shealth-related quality of life (HRQOL) and employment of persons with this condition. Far more than impaired health status…
Morbidity and mortality rates are higher in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) than in the general population. Ischemic heart disease and heart failure now represent one of the most common…
Initially suggested by the presence of rheumatoid factor autoantibodies, multiple pathogenic roles for B cells (both antibody-mediated and antibody-independent) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) now are supported by a growing body…
In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), cells within the inflamed synovium and pannus elaborate a variety of cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α, interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, and IL-17, that contribute to…
Small-molecule kinase inhibitors are increasingly taking center stage in the quest for new drugs for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). By targeting kinases, small-molecule inhibitors can exert potent anti-inflammatory…
Immunologic models of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have to take into account that the disease occurs at an age when immunocompetence is declining and in a host whose immune system shows…
Identification of interleukin-17 (IL-17) as a powerful proinflammatory cytokine and the recent recognition of a T-helper cell subset that secretes it have focused attention on the role of IL-17 and…
