Urinary soluble CD163 is useful to predict lupus nephritis activity and to monitor standard-of-care therapy response.

Objectives: This study aims to assess urinary soluble CD163 normalized to creatinuria (usCD163/Cre) alongside conventional biomarkers as indicators of renal activity and therapeutic response in lupus nephritis (LN).

Methods: A monocentric and retrospective cohort analysis involving 214 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was conducted, among whom 129 were referred as LN and assessed longitudinally. Of these, 39 underwent kidney biopsy at sample collection.

Interferon-γ release assay as an emergent powerful biomarker in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objectives: To investigate the ex vivo IFN-γ release assay (IGRA) as a biomarker of SLE activity and disease outcome.

Methods: This retrospective study, conducted between 2008 and 2024 at a single tertiary care center, included 145 SLE patients at various disease stages. Data were collected on spontaneous IFN-γ levels (IGRA-nil) and on phytohemagglutinin-induced IFN-γ levels (IGRA-PHA, after subtracting the IGRA-nil result).

Efficacy and safety of Anakinra in idiopathic recurrent pericarditis: Results from the UPACITER study.

Background: Idiopathic recurrent pericarditis (IRP) is a chronic autoinflammatory condition characterized by relapsing episodes of pericardial inflammation. Standard treatment involves colchicine and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), with corticosteroids as a second-line therapy. However, many patients develop corticosteroid dependency or resistance, necessitating alternative treatments.

Evaluation of the effects of pre-exposure treatment with hydroxychloroquine on the risk of COVID-19 infection and on the efficacy of anti-COVID-19 vaccination during lupus or Gougerot-Sjögren's disease: Prepcov multicentre trial.

Objectives: Some patients with SLE or Gougerot-Sjögren's disease (GSD) receive long-term treatment with hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), sometimes combined with immunosuppressive therapy (IS). This study sought to assess whether long-term HCQ therapy that had been initiated long before the COVID-19 pandemic had a protective or adverse effect on COVID-19 risk, severity of infection or immunity protection.

Methods: This prospective multicentre study included 547 patients with SLE, GSD, autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cholangitis or cured viral hepatitis C divided into four groups according to HCQ (+/-) and IS (+/-) intake prior to the pandemic: HCQ+IS+ (n=112), HCQ+IS- (n=121), HCQ-IS+ (n=115) and HCQ-IS- (n=199).

The added value of coupling anti-dsDNA and anti-chromatin antibodies in follow-up monitoring of systemic lupus erythematosus patients.

Objective: The autoimmune response to chromatin (Chr) or one of the nucleosome components (double stranded (ds)DNA and histones) is typically associated with the development of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Related autoantibodies (Ab) are heterogeneous and, among them, anti-dsDNA Ab are part of the classification criteria and recommended for monitoring SLE with regards to lupus flares and therapy responses. However, anti-dsDNA Ab biomarker performances are weak; therefore, coupling anti-dsDNA with anti-Chr Ab can be proposed, which is the aim of this study.