Management of systemic lupus erythematosus / 대한내과학회지

ABSTRACT

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disorder which affects the musculoskelectal system, skin, kidney, central nervous system, gastrointestinal tract, and vascular system. The therapeutic level depends on the severity of SLE activity and affected organ damage. The prognosis of SLE has greatly improved since treatment regimens combining corticosteroids and immunosuppressive agents have been widely adopted in therapeutic strategies. Immune suppression is evidently effective, however, sometimes leads to higher susceptibility to infectious and malignant diseases. Toxic effects and unexpectedly fatal complications of current therapies have been progressively reported. Currently, identifying novel molecular targets such as hyperactive B cells could be an important issue in the treatment of SLE. The aim of this review is the introduction of previous adopted therapies as well as emerging pharmacological options.