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Abstract Number: 614

Predictors of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Flares: Baseline Disease Activity and Demographic Characteristics From the Combined Placebo Groups in the Phase 3 Belimumab Trials

Ronald F. van Vollenhoven1, Michelle Petri2, Roger A. Levy3, Sandra V. Navarra4, Jill P. Buyon5, Z. John Zhong6, William W. Freimuth6 and Ricard Cervera7, 1Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden, 2Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 3Internal Medicine, Univ Estado Do Rio De Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 4University of Santo Tomas Hospital, Manila, Philippines, 5Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 6Human Genome Sciences, Inc., Rockville, MD, 7Autoimmune Diseases, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

Meeting: ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting 2012

Keywords: belimumab and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), BILAG

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Session Information

Title: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Clinical Aspects

Session Type: Abstract Submissions (ACR)

Background/Purpose: Predicting which SLE patients are at increased risk for clinically meaningful flares may be useful in making management decisions. The purpose of this analysis was to identify demographic and disease-related predictors of flares.

Methods: Baseline demographic and SLE-related disease activity characteristics were evaluated for their ability to predict new SLE flares by treatment wk 52 in the combined dataset of 562 patients receiving placebo + standard SLE therapy from the phase 3 belimumab BLISS-52 (NCT00424476) and BLISS-76 (NCT00410384) trials. Flare was defined as the development of 1 new British Isles Lupus Assessment Group (BILAG) A or 2 new B organ domain scores; any BILAG A score; or according to the modified severe SLE Flare Index (SFI). Baseline variables included race, age, gender, BMI, SELENA-SLEDAI (mean score, range, and 24 items with ≥30/group), PGA, BILAG A−E scores, ACR diagnostic criteria, Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics Damage Index, SLE duration, and concurrent medications. Baseline disease characteristics associated with a ≥10% absolute difference (% flare – % no flare) or ≥50% increase ([% flare – % no flare]/ % no flare) in flare rate were considered predictors of flare.

Results: By wk 52, 180 patients (32%) receiving placebo had 1 new BILAG A or 2 new B scores; 130 (23%) had a BILAG A score; and 133 (24%) had a severe SFI flare. By all 3 flare indices, SELENA-SLEDAI ≥12, and moderate−severe disease activity involving renal and hematologic domains were predictors of flare (see table). Serologic markers were predictors of severe SFI flare and 1 BILAG A or 2 B scores. Use of corticosteroids, immunosuppressives, antimalarials, and other concomitant medications did not predict flare.

Conclusion: SLE patients on standard therapy alone with moderate−severe renal, vasculitic, hematologic, or serologic disease activity, or SELENA-SLEDAI ≥12 were at increased risk of having a clinically meaningful flare over 52 wk. 

 


Predictors of Flare

 

% 1 New BILAG A or 2 New B Scores

% Any BILAG A Score

% Severe SFI Flare

Characteristic

With
(n = 180)

Without
(n = 382)

With

(n = 130)

Without

(n = 432)

With 

(n = 133)

Without

(n = 429)

SS ≥12

38.9#

24.1

39.2+

25.7

41.4#

24.9

SS proteinuria

20.0+

11.3

20.8*

12.0

21.1+

11.9

SS vasculitis

10.0*

5.0

10.0

5.6

9.0

5.8

SS low complement

70.0+

56.8

67.7

59.0

72.2+

57.6

SS DNA binding

75.0+

64.1

73.1

66.0

77.4+

64.6

BILAG renal (A−C)

53.3#

31.7

56.9#

33.1

54.9#

33.6

BILAG vasculitis (A/B)

14.4+

6.8

14.6*

7.6

15.0*

7.5

BILAG hematologic (A/B)

22.8+

12.3

27.7#

12.0

25.6+

12.6

Nominal p values for pairwise comparison (likelihood ratio test). SS, SELENA-SLEDAI. #p <0.001; +p <0.01; *p <0.05.


Disclosure:

R. F. van Vollenhoven,

Abbott, BMS, GSK, HGS, MSD, Pfizer, Roche, UCB,

2,

Abbott, BMS, GSK, HGS, MSD, Pfizer, Roche, UCB,

5;

M. Petri,

HGS, GSK,

5;

R. A. Levy,

HGS,GSK,

8;

S. V. Navarra,

HGS, GSK,

8;

J. P. Buyon,

HGS,

2,

HGS, GSK,

5;

Z. J. Zhong,

HGS,

1,

HGS,

3;

W. W. Freimuth,

HGS,

1,

HGS,

3;

R. Cervera,

HGS, GSK,

2,

HGS, GSK,

5.

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