Early treatment of lupus helps improve outcomes for patients. Finding better blood tests to predict what is about to happen with lupus disease activity could alert doctors to changes in a patient's condition that otherwise might not be obvious. Investigators at UCLA believe they have discovered an antibody in the blood, MAGE-B2, which may be associated with lupus kidney disease in children and could possibly serve as a biomarker. If future studies continue to show an association between the MAGE-B2 antibody and lupus, or even more particularly lupus nephritis, doctors should be able to treat lupus earlier to prevent damage.
Lupus in children may develop early and tends to be more severe with multi-organ system involvement. New Tests to diagnose and monitor lupus in children, as well as treatments specifically tailored for this population, are still needed. The LFA is the only national nonprofit voluntary health organization to have a research program specifically focused on pediatric lupus.
Kidney disease is one of the most serious complications of lupus, especially for children or teens. Estimates are that nearly half of children with lupus develop kidney involvement. This can cause permanent damage to the kidneys, limiting their ability to help filter the blood and pass waste material out of the body in urine.
Treatment for lupus nephritis in children has usually relied on high doses of steroids (Prednisone), either alone or in combination with other medications that suppress the immune system. The long-term use of steroids to treat lupus can lead to serious complications, especially for those diagnosed with lupus in their childhood and teenage years, who can have their growth affected, as well as other serious long-term effects.
The Children's National Medical Center Department of Rheumatology is looking for parents of, or adolescent Lupus patients, who would like to help newly diagnosed patients find some answers to their many questions. Would you be prepared to be in contact by phone, e-mail or in person to share past experiences and help out Lupus patients and families?
Please contact Rachael Connor or Monika Relman, Nursing coordinators of
Rheumatology Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC. at:
Phone Number: (202)476-6492
or
Email Rachael Connor at: rconnor@cnmc.org
Email Monika Relman at: mrelman@cnmc.org
Call us to help make the first steps after diagnosis of lupus easier.