Session Information
Session Type: Poster Session B
Session Time: 10:30AM-12:30PM
Background/Purpose: SLE is a multisystemic autoimmune disease with several manifestations. Childhood-onset SLE (cSLE) has a more severe disease course than adult-onset SLE, with a higher frequency and severity of major-organ involvement and damage accrual. Low disease activity is an important goal. Belimumab (BEL) is the first biological drug approved for cSLE.The aim of this study is to identify whether low lupus disease activity status on BEL is an achievable goal in cSLE and to describe the characteristics of cSLE patients treated with BEL in real world practice included in the JULES registry, a Spanish multicenter, hospital-based, cSLE registry.
Methods: We analyzed cross-sectional data from 67 patients treated with BEL for cSLE from a total of 250 included in the JULES registry. For the description of the cohort, summary statistics of central tendency and dispersion and percentage statistics were used for numerical and categorical variables respectively.
Results: 67 patients (26.8%) of the 250 patients included in the JULES registry were treated with BEL. The mean age to diagnosis was 12.9 (3.2) years, with a mean age at inclusion in the registry of 20.4 (8.3). 86.6% were female. Lupus nephritis (LN) prevalence was 56.1%, arthritis was seen in 74.6% and the most common laboratory abnormalities were leucopenia 68.2%, lymphopenia 62.5%, anti-DNA (89.6%) and hypocomplementemia (94%). The most frequent LN class was IV (23.9%), followed by class III (10.4%) and class II (10.4%). The main reasons for BEL initiation were arthritis (44.8%), mucocutaneous manifestations (40.3%), systemic manifestations (37.3%), LN (26.9%) and hematological involvement (22.4%). 20.9% of patients initiated BEL in the first 6 months of the disease. The mean duration of BEL treatment was 27.78 months (31.65). The mean SLEDAI and SLICC scores were 3.11 (2.12) and 0.46 (1.25) points respectively. 19.4% of BEL-treated patients have inactive disease (SLEDAI 0-1), 70.1% low disease activity (SLEDAI 2-5), and 10.4% moderate activity. In patients with LN, 32.8% achieved complete remission and 10,4% partial remission, 4.5% experienced an improvement and ESRD was observed only in 3% of patients. 74.6% had managed to completely withdraw prednisone and 77.6% were still on BEL treatment. The reasons for suspension were inefficacy (14.9%), adverse events (4.5%) and complete remission of the symptoms (3%).
Conclusion: In the Spanish cSLE registry (JULES), 26.8% of patients were treated with BEL. In this complex and severe population, BEL is an effective and safe treatment for cSLE, allowing to achieve low disease activity state and corticosteroid withdrawal.*Funding: The Spanish registry of juvenile SLE (JULES) is funded by GSK. The author din not recive any grant from GSK
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
Boteanu A, Udaondo C, Calzada J, Clemente Garulo D, Nieto Gonzáles J, Enriquez E, Calvo Penades i, Villalobos L, Sevilla B, Murias S, Magallares B, Capilla A, Arroyo J, Bravo B, Diez-Cordoves G, Camacho M, grana G, Bethencourt J, Mesa P, Palmou N, Lopez Corbeto M, Sanchez J, Gonzalez M, Granados bautista i, Moriano C, Dios D, Exposito L, Garcia A, Martin L, Fernandez D, Trujillo L, Brandy A, GUILLEN-ASTETE C. Real-world use of belimumab in childhood-onset SLE in Spain: cross-sectional analysis from a multicenter study (JULES registry) [abstract]. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2025; 77 (suppl 9). https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/real-world-use-of-belimumab-in-childhood-onset-sle-in-spain-cross-sectional-analysis-from-a-multicenter-study-jules-registry/. Accessed .« Back to ACR Convergence 2025
ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/real-world-use-of-belimumab-in-childhood-onset-sle-in-spain-cross-sectional-analysis-from-a-multicenter-study-jules-registry/