Nation

Roberto Duran Supports The Reid Foundation For Lupus

Congratulations to Roberto Duran on his storied hall-of-fame career. He held the world championships in lightweight, welterweight, light middleweight, and middleweight classes.
Ring magazine voted him as the fifth greatest fighter of the last 80 years. He was also voted the best lightweight of the 20th century by the Associated Press.

The Reid Foundation for Lupus truly appreciates the support and is confident that with hard work and support from people like yourself, we can make a big difference.

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Congratulations to Our Board Members

Congratulations to our board members, Dr. Sam Lim, Georgia State Rep. Kim Schofield and Founder Bryant Reid for being named Community Service awardees at the Phenomenal Women’s Health Annual Fundraising Tea.

 

(Pictured in the photo above l to r: Kim Schofield – Georgia State Representative, Teri Edmond – CEO of Lupus Foundation of America Georgia Chapter, Cheryl Burnside – CEO of Phenomenal Women’s Health, Bryant Reid – President of The Reid Foundation For Lupus, Inc.)

 

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In People with Lupus, Age and Location Linked to Delayed Follow-Up After Hospitalization

March 30, 2023

Research shows younger people living with lupus and those living in rural or disadvantaged areas are less likely to have a follow-up appointment with their doctor shortly after they’ve been discharged from the hospital. One quarter of people with lupus are hospitalized every year, and one-third are re-hospitalized within 30 days, underscoring the importance of timely outpatient care.

Looking at data from 8,606 adults hospitalized with lupus on Medicare, researchers found that 35% lacked follow-up within 30 days overall. That follow-up rate is worse than the rate reported among people with other chronic diseases.

People with lupus who also exhibited the following characteristics were less likely to have a timely follow-up appointment after hospital discharge:

  • More co-occurring illnesses
  • A longer hospital length-of-stay
  • Rural place of residency
  • Greater neighborhood disadvantage

In the 65 years and older cohort, receiving timely follow-up care was associated with a 65% lower mortality rate in the month following hospital discharge, highlighting the tremendous value of outpatient treatment in this population in particular.

Regular preventative and follow-up care is critically important to living well with lupus, yet many struggle to get the medical support they need. Learn more about barriers to lupus diagnosis and care.

 

Article Credit: Lupus Foundation of America | lupus.org

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COVID-19 Vaccine Response and Management in People with Lupus

A new study finds therapies used to treat lupus (mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept®), tacrolimus (Protopic®), and belimumab (Benlysta®) significantly reduce a person’s response to the COVID-19 vaccine. The COVID vaccine was most effective and did not trigger disease flares when vaccine administration was managed along with the person’s lupus medications. Some immunosuppressive drugs used to treat lupus increase COVID infection risk and decrease the vaccine’s effectiveness.

 

Researchers analyzed and compared data from 334 people with lupus and 1,887 health care workers without lupus. They examined COVID antibodyImmunoglobulin G (IgG) levels after vaccination over time in both groups. Higher IgG levels indicate a stronger immune response to the vaccine, suggesting a greater protective effect against the virus. They also looked at the effect of immunosuppressive medications on post-vaccination antibody levels in those with lupus.

 

The researchers found that taking mycophenolate mofetil, tacrolimus, and belimumab at the time of vaccination was associated with reduced IgG (COVID antibody) levels. However, temporarily stopping mycophenolate mofetil administration on the day of and for one week after the COVID vaccine resulted in increased post-vaccine IgG (COVID antibody) levels and did not lead to flare activity.

 

Researchers hope these data will be helpful to clinicians and help revise treatment guidelines for better outcomes in people with lupus. The Lupus Foundation of America remains committed to providing resources and support regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn about up-to-date health information on the COVID-19 vaccine for people with lupus and talk to your doctor before making any changes to your medication.

Article Credit: Lupus Foundation of America | lupus.org

 

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New Investigational Drug for Systemic and Cutaneous Lupus Advancing to Phase I Clinical Trials

Ventus Therapeutics Inc. has announced the development of VENT-03, a potential first-in-class drug designed to target cGAS, a cell receptor linked to lupus and a broad range of other diseases including neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases. This will be the first drug of its kind to advance into clinical development, and it will enter its first Phase I trial cGAS is thought to be involved in both systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE), and the latest news marks an exciting step forward in lupus drug development.

Last year, Ventus received a Lupus Research Program Idea Award from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to study the cGAS inhibitor as a potential treatment for lupus. The Lupus Foundation of America’s (LFA) advocacy efforts and strong community of advocates led the fight in establishing the DoD Lupus Research Program in 2017, successfully advocating each year for continued funding of this critical program. To date, the program has provided more than $76 million to fund high-impact, high-quality studies to help find ways to diagnose and treat lupus more effectively.

Continue to follow the LFA for updates on VENT-03 and learn more about medications used to treat lupus.

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Article Credit: Lupus Foundation of America | lupus.org

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