World Lupus Day: The importance of an early diagnosis

• José; Mªaría Álvaro Gracia Álvaro, head of the Rheumatology Service at the Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón in Madrid, the new president of the Spanish Society of Rheumatology (SER).

  Photo: Europa press.

On the occasion of the World Lupus Day, which is celebrated this Tuesday, the president of the Spanish Society of Rheumatology (SER), José; María Álvaro Gracia, has highlighted that, in the coming years, there will be “very important” advances in the treatments of the disease.

As defined by the SER, lupus is asystemic autoimmune rheumatic disease, of unknown cause, in which the  immunological system becomes ‘confused’ and produces antibodies that attack the body itself, causing inflammation, damage to joints, muscles and other organs such as skin, kidneys, heart and lungs that can end with the patient’s life.

“In lupus, which is a disease that had not benefited from the great advances that have been made in other rheumatological diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or spondyloarthrosis, it is There has been progress in the last five years, and there will continue to be very important progress in the coming years“, Álvaro Gracia pointed out in statements to Europe Press.

so He spoke at the presentation of the XLVIII National Congress of the SER, which is being held from this Tuesday until next Friday in Granada. As therapeutic innovations, the doctor has highlighted drugs that block the interferon pathway, such as anifrolumab; so such as drugs that are calcineurin inhibitors.

“These are drugs that are either approved or in a high degree of development for patients with lupus and even with other systemic diseases. This is one of the most important advances“, he detailed, to also highlight the importance of other developments.

“Precisely at this moment, as a consequence of what we have learned during the Covid-19 pandemic in immunological mechanisms, there are drugs that are in development for lupus and that, with great probability, in the near future. “Next years will be available”, announced the president of the SER in statements to Europa Press. “For example, there are already studies to treat these patients with JAK inhibitors,” he specified. things, Álvaro-Gracia has advanced that, fundamentally, during the congress, both these advances and others related to ways of establishing “better” will be presented. What are the groups of patients that require one type or another of treatment.

“In other words, given that lupus is a very heterogeneous disease, during the congress we are going to better define what is the profile of manifestations that are suitable for applying one type of treatment or another” ;, concludes the president of the SER.

The importance of an early diagnosis 

As they reiterate from the scientific society, the cause of lupus is unknown, but there is evidence of the influence of genetics and other triggering factors such as infections, hormonal change,  radiation. ultraviolet and tobacco, among others.

Outbreaks can be mild or more serious and, in many cases, it is diagnosed when damage has already occurred. ;or organic; from there This is why rheumatologists insist on the importance of early detection. Specifically, it is estimated that in Spain about 75,000 patients suffer from this disease.

For all these reasons, throughout this day, the SER, together with the Spanish Federation de Lupus (FELUPUS), has organized a visibility action through the streets of Granada, with which they intend to make this disease known among the population. n general. The objective is to achieve support in raising awareness of lupus through social networks, with the hashtags #WorldLupusDay and #nosevesesufre.