The Lupus Check 5 Tool: A Practical Approach to Initiating Treatment Reviews in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Abstract Although the treatment landscape for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has evolved in recent years, there is still a significant unmet need and many patients do not achieve key treatment goals, such as remission and low disease activity. Failure to reach these goals increases the risk of f...

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Main Authors: Anca Askanase, Antonis Fanouriakis, Lyra Agustin, Maria Dall’Era, Marta Mosca, Yoshiya Tanaka
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Adis, Springer Healthcare 2025-05-01
Series:Rheumatology and Therapy
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s40744-025-00770-w
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author Anca Askanase
Antonis Fanouriakis
Lyra Agustin
Maria Dall’Era
Marta Mosca
Yoshiya Tanaka
author_facet Anca Askanase
Antonis Fanouriakis
Lyra Agustin
Maria Dall’Era
Marta Mosca
Yoshiya Tanaka
author_sort Anca Askanase
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Although the treatment landscape for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has evolved in recent years, there is still a significant unmet need and many patients do not achieve key treatment goals, such as remission and low disease activity. Failure to reach these goals increases the risk of flare, organ damage accrual, and mortality in patients with SLE, and can have a significant impact on patient quality of life (QOL). While the importance of monitoring patients with SLE is highlighted across treatment recommendations, there is no clinical guidance on how to identify patients at risk of disease exacerbation and when to effectively initiate treatment reviews to improve their clinical outcomes. To address this, a panel of lupus experts have developed a clinical decision aid named the Lupus Check 5 Tool, which aims to identify patients in need of a treatment review through a simple five-question checklist. These questions cover a range of topics, including persistent glucocorticoid use, ongoing disease activity despite therapy, monitoring changes in laboratory values, flare frequency and severity, and the incorporation of the patient perspective and shared decision-making into clinical practice. Herein, we provide a detailed overview of the tool questions and the clinical evidence supporting their use to identify patients at risk of disease worsening. Use of the Lupus Check 5 Tool during each patient visit could facilitate timely alteration of therapy to help reduce disease activity, improve QOL, and work toward the long-term goals of remission and low disease activity.
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spelling doaj-art-3fc2e3ba6c3c49b7bb9a5df7fa5fb0b32025-08-20T03:06:05ZengAdis, Springer HealthcareRheumatology and Therapy2198-65762198-65842025-05-0112473174010.1007/s40744-025-00770-wThe Lupus Check 5 Tool: A Practical Approach to Initiating Treatment Reviews in Systemic Lupus ErythematosusAnca Askanase0Antonis Fanouriakis1Lyra Agustin2Maria Dall’Era3Marta Mosca4Yoshiya Tanaka5Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterRheumatology and Clinical Immunology Unit, Attikon University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens School of MedicineBiopharmaceuticals Medical, AstraZenecaDivision of Rheumatology, University of California San Francisco School of MedicineRheumatology Unit, University of PisaFirst Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental HealthAbstract Although the treatment landscape for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has evolved in recent years, there is still a significant unmet need and many patients do not achieve key treatment goals, such as remission and low disease activity. Failure to reach these goals increases the risk of flare, organ damage accrual, and mortality in patients with SLE, and can have a significant impact on patient quality of life (QOL). While the importance of monitoring patients with SLE is highlighted across treatment recommendations, there is no clinical guidance on how to identify patients at risk of disease exacerbation and when to effectively initiate treatment reviews to improve their clinical outcomes. To address this, a panel of lupus experts have developed a clinical decision aid named the Lupus Check 5 Tool, which aims to identify patients in need of a treatment review through a simple five-question checklist. These questions cover a range of topics, including persistent glucocorticoid use, ongoing disease activity despite therapy, monitoring changes in laboratory values, flare frequency and severity, and the incorporation of the patient perspective and shared decision-making into clinical practice. Herein, we provide a detailed overview of the tool questions and the clinical evidence supporting their use to identify patients at risk of disease worsening. Use of the Lupus Check 5 Tool during each patient visit could facilitate timely alteration of therapy to help reduce disease activity, improve QOL, and work toward the long-term goals of remission and low disease activity.https://doi.org/10.1007/s40744-025-00770-wClinical managementSystemic lupus erythematosusTreatment review
spellingShingle Anca Askanase
Antonis Fanouriakis
Lyra Agustin
Maria Dall’Era
Marta Mosca
Yoshiya Tanaka
The Lupus Check 5 Tool: A Practical Approach to Initiating Treatment Reviews in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Rheumatology and Therapy
Clinical management
Systemic lupus erythematosus
Treatment review
title The Lupus Check 5 Tool: A Practical Approach to Initiating Treatment Reviews in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
title_full The Lupus Check 5 Tool: A Practical Approach to Initiating Treatment Reviews in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
title_fullStr The Lupus Check 5 Tool: A Practical Approach to Initiating Treatment Reviews in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
title_full_unstemmed The Lupus Check 5 Tool: A Practical Approach to Initiating Treatment Reviews in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
title_short The Lupus Check 5 Tool: A Practical Approach to Initiating Treatment Reviews in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
title_sort lupus check 5 tool a practical approach to initiating treatment reviews in systemic lupus erythematosus
topic Clinical management
Systemic lupus erythematosus
Treatment review
url https://doi.org/10.1007/s40744-025-00770-w
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