Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic and extremely disabling connective-tissue autoimmune disease with a tremendous impact on the quality of life (QoL). Belimumab, a B-lymphocyte-stimulator-specific inhibitor, is the first biologic drug approved as add-on therapy in patients with active, refractory auto-antibody-positive SLE.The impact of belimumab on the QoL of SLE patients was evaluated using a generic questionnaire short-form health survey 36 (SF-36) and the disease-specific questionnaire SLE-specific quality of life (SLEQoL).The Italian version of the SLEQoL and the SF-36 were administered to 46 SLE patients before and after 6 months of belimumab therapy. The control population consisted of 40 age-matched healthy individuals. The questionnaires were completed before and after belimumab treatment and the results were compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. In addition, data from healthy controls and SLE patients were compared using the Mann-Whitney test. Dichotomous variables were compared using Fisher's exact test.For SLE patients, the addition of belimumab to their therapeutic regimen significantly improved their health-related QoL (HRQoL), according to the results of the SF-36 and SLEQoL. The comparison of the data obtained before and after belimumab treatment showed a decrease in all six SLEQoL domains and an increase in all eight SF-36 domains. Moreover, treatment led to a reduction in the median prednisone dose, to 0 mg/day (IQR 0-4.5 mg/day). Before belimumab therapy, SLE patients had a worse HRQoL than the control group, based on both questionnaires, but after belimumab treatment the outcome scores between SLE patients and controls were similar, suggesting that belimumab therapy resulted in a strong improvement in HRQoL. These findings were supported by a decrease in the SELENA-SLEDAI score, a measure of disease activity.In addition to clinical remission and low disease activity, the goals of an innovative therapeutic strategy for SLE should include the attainment of a good HRQoL. Our study demonstrates that the combined use of the SF-36 and SLEQoL questionnaires can provide clinicians with a better understanding of the HRQoL of SLE patients.

Impact of belimumab therapy on the quality of life in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: A cohort study / Prete, Marcella; Susca, Nicola; Leone, Patrizia; De Giacomo, Andrea; Bray, Antonella; Brunori, Giuliano; Favoino, Elvira; Perosa, Federico; Racanelli, Vito. - In: LUPUS. - ISSN 0961-2033. - 2023, 32:13(2023), pp. 1528-1535. [10.1177/09612033231210607]

Impact of belimumab therapy on the quality of life in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: A cohort study

Brunori, Giuliano;Racanelli, Vito
2023-01-01

Abstract

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic and extremely disabling connective-tissue autoimmune disease with a tremendous impact on the quality of life (QoL). Belimumab, a B-lymphocyte-stimulator-specific inhibitor, is the first biologic drug approved as add-on therapy in patients with active, refractory auto-antibody-positive SLE.The impact of belimumab on the QoL of SLE patients was evaluated using a generic questionnaire short-form health survey 36 (SF-36) and the disease-specific questionnaire SLE-specific quality of life (SLEQoL).The Italian version of the SLEQoL and the SF-36 were administered to 46 SLE patients before and after 6 months of belimumab therapy. The control population consisted of 40 age-matched healthy individuals. The questionnaires were completed before and after belimumab treatment and the results were compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. In addition, data from healthy controls and SLE patients were compared using the Mann-Whitney test. Dichotomous variables were compared using Fisher's exact test.For SLE patients, the addition of belimumab to their therapeutic regimen significantly improved their health-related QoL (HRQoL), according to the results of the SF-36 and SLEQoL. The comparison of the data obtained before and after belimumab treatment showed a decrease in all six SLEQoL domains and an increase in all eight SF-36 domains. Moreover, treatment led to a reduction in the median prednisone dose, to 0 mg/day (IQR 0-4.5 mg/day). Before belimumab therapy, SLE patients had a worse HRQoL than the control group, based on both questionnaires, but after belimumab treatment the outcome scores between SLE patients and controls were similar, suggesting that belimumab therapy resulted in a strong improvement in HRQoL. These findings were supported by a decrease in the SELENA-SLEDAI score, a measure of disease activity.In addition to clinical remission and low disease activity, the goals of an innovative therapeutic strategy for SLE should include the attainment of a good HRQoL. Our study demonstrates that the combined use of the SF-36 and SLEQoL questionnaires can provide clinicians with a better understanding of the HRQoL of SLE patients.
2023
13
Prete, Marcella; Susca, Nicola; Leone, Patrizia; De Giacomo, Andrea; Bray, Antonella; Brunori, Giuliano; Favoino, Elvira; Perosa, Federico; Racanelli,...espandi
Impact of belimumab therapy on the quality of life in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: A cohort study / Prete, Marcella; Susca, Nicola; Leone, Patrizia; De Giacomo, Andrea; Bray, Antonella; Brunori, Giuliano; Favoino, Elvira; Perosa, Federico; Racanelli, Vito. - In: LUPUS. - ISSN 0961-2033. - 2023, 32:13(2023), pp. 1528-1535. [10.1177/09612033231210607]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11572/395989
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