Read the Latest Lupus Research On Kidney Damage, Steroids and Congenital Heart Blocks

Lupus disease activity often occurs without any apparent signs or symptoms. This is especially true when lupus affects the kidneys, which is known as lupus nephritis. It is even possible for lupus to cause significant kidney damage even before a patient is diagnosed. Though there may be no visible symptoms, there are chemical changes occurring in the cells and tissues that can be measured. Therefore, a major emphasis among lupus researchers is to find ways to tell if simple laboratory tests can be used to detect otherwise silent lupus disease activity. A laboratory test that can be used in this way is called a biomarker. One potential biomarker that is being investigated is nitric oxide (chemical symbol, NO), since it is one of the chemicals involved in the body’s immune response.

Neonatal lupus is a condition that can occur when anti-SSA/Ro antibodies cross the placenta in pregnancy from the mother to her developing baby. Babies born to women who are positive for anti-SSA/Ro antibodies (even those who do not have lupus) are at greater risk for neonatal lupus, although this remains rare. A number of symptoms are seen in infants who are born with neonatal lupus, most commonly skin rashes or liver involvement, which go away over time as the infant’s own immune system develops, and the mothers antibodies are cleared from the baby’s system. Even more rarely, however, there is a potentially life-threatening heart condition that these babies can be born with, called congenital heart block (CHB).

Steroid medications are often prescribed for people with lupus or other autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. Although they have many undesirable side effects, steroids work quickly and very well to control lupus. However, for a small percentage of lupus patients, steroids don’t provide relief; these patients are said to be "steroid resistant" (SR), and must take other medicines, most of which do not respond as rapidly to treat their disease flares.

The Lupus Foundation of America, Inc. is pleased to announce that Gina Finzi Memorial Student Summer Fellowships will be available for the summer of 2008. The purpose of these awards is to foster an interest among young researchers in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) through support of basic, clinical, or psychosocial research under the supervision of an established investigator. Undergraduate, graduate, and medical students are eligible to apply, however, preference is given to students with a college degree.

On Wednesday, May 7, 2008, Dr. Elliott Sigal will receive the Corporate Leadership in Lupus Award at LFA's 5th Annual Awards Gala, to be held at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in downtown Washington, DC. Dr. Sigal is the President, Research & Development; Executive Vice President, Chief Scientific Officer, for Bristol-Myers Squibb.