Effectiveness, Tolerability, and Safety of Belimumab in Patients with Refractory SLE: a Review of Observational Clinical-Practice-Based Studies.

ABSTRACT: To date, belimumab is the only biological drug approved for the treatment of patients with active refractory SLE. We compared and critically analyzed the results of 11 observational clinical-practice-based studies, conducted in SLE referral centers. Despite the differences in endpoints and follow-up duration, all studies remarked that belimumab provides additional benefits when used as an add-on to existing treatment, allowing a higher rate of patients to reach remission and to taper or discontinue corticosteroids. In the OBSErve studies, 2-9.6% of patients discontinued corticosteroids and 72-88.4% achieved a ≥ 20% improvement by physician's judgment at 6 months. In Hui-Yuen's study, 51% of patients attained response by simplified SRI at month 6. In Sthoeger's study, 72.3% of patients disc

SUBMITTER: Trentin F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6132773 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature