Description
Recent therapeutic advances in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus are reviewed. Mycophenolate mofetil may have similar efficacy but less toxicity than more traditional cyclophosphamide regimens. Rituximab can induce temporary remissions and LJP-394, an antiidiotypic antibody to DNA, shows promise in patients with high affinity antibodies to dsDNA. Intravenous immunoglobulin may have a place in a range of acute complications of SLE. Clinical trials are now needed to test whether these new approaches are better than the standard cyclophosphamide and steroid regimens
