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A New Free Report - What Is Lupus?
This fascinating new report from UK-based publishing house Health Research Today answers some of the most-asked questions about this baffling disease :
- What is the medical definition of lupus?
- What are the symptoms of lupus?
- What tests are there for lupus? How do you get a diagnosis?
Fill in this form and we will send you the report immediately, which you are welcome to send on to friends or family!
The Future of Lupus Research
This article is an extract from the ebook Freedom From Lupus!
Drug Treatments
While a cure for lupus is the ultimate goal, there is still a need to develop better treatments for those currently suffering from lupus. Many of the research studies being conducted are actually being done on the drugs used to treat lupus symptoms. Some of the drugs are being tested for their efficacy in treating or preventing the symptoms of lupus like heart disease or inflammation. Others are being tested for their focus, meaning they will better treat symptoms while causing fewer side effects.
One example of a drug that came about from research in a different field is Rituximab. This drug was developed by cancer researchers to battle lymphoma, and it works by decreasing the number of B cells in the body. Since the B cells usually overreact in lupus patients, the suppression of the B cells using Rituximab may ease symptoms. The drug has been found to be less toxic than other treatments and it is much more targeted to the B cells. While it may be years before Rituximab ends up on the market, it has promising potential in the treatment of lupus.
Mycophenolate Mofetil
Mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept) is one of the new drugs available for treating lupus nephritis. New studies have shown that mofetil may be a better drug for treating lupus nephritis than cyclophosphamide. Right now cyclophosphamide is currently the mainstay for treating lupus flares, but it comes with a long list of side effects such as gonadal failure, infection, and secondary malignant disease. Yet the most common side effects with mofetil are abdominal discomfort and nausea. Still, pregnant women should not take mofetil due to potential birth defects. In some cases anemia and skin rash can develop.
Mofetil was designed to prevent organ transplant rejection. It is performing well in tests on patients with lupus nephritis. It also provides hope for people struggling with the severe side effects of cyclophosphamide or those in which Imuran is not effective. It also helps reduce the amount of steroids needed in patients. To date it is not widely used, because it is very expensive, but at research becomes more promising patients may find relief from mofetil more often.
Read the rest of this article in Freedom From Lupus!
© Health Research Today
