David R. Karp, M.D., Ph.D.,
Professor and Chief, Rheumatic Diseases Division
UT Southwestern Medical Center
“The Path to Prevention in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus”
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem autoimmune disorder characterized by immune-mediated tissue and organ damage in association with immune dysregulation. Although relatively rare, it causes significant morbidity and mortality. It most commonly affects women in early- and mid-adult ages, and there is increased prevalence in women of non-White ancestry. In the last quarter century extensive data on the etiology and natural history of SLE has been accumulated, including genomic, proteomic, and environmental risk factors. Regulatory polymorphisms in genetic loci associated with lupus can be used to form haplotypes to assign risk levels to people with serological autoimmunity but no signs of disease. Extended autoantibody profiling can discriminate levels of progression within the lupus spectrum. Soluble mediators – cytokines and chemokines – predict the transition from health to disease. With this information, it is possible to design strategies to prevent, rather than treat, these conditions and avoid permanent organ and tissue damage. Strategies to improve screening include repeated testing, focused testing on high-risk populations, and use of additional biomarkers. To test these strategies, we have undertaken the first US-based randomized clinical trial to prevent the development of lupus in persons at risk.
Friday, April 22, 2022, 11:00AM-12:00PM, EAD-406
University of North Texas Health Science Center
Fort Worth, Texas