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Multicenter Study
. 2025 Jan 1;64(1):276-282.
doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/kead696.

Thorough assessment of the effectiveness of belimumab in a large Spanish multicenter cohort of systemic lupus erythematosus patients

Irene Altabás-González  1 , José María Pego-Reigosa  1 , Coral Mouriño  2 , Norman Jiménez  2 , Andrea Hernández-Martín  3 , Ivette Casafont-Solé  4 , Judit Font Urguelles  4 , José Andrés Román-Ivorra  5 , Marta de la Rubia Navarro  6 , María Galindo-Izquierdo  7 , Tarek Carlos Salman-Monte  8 , Javier Narváez  9 , Paola Vidal-Montal  10 , María Jesús García-Villanueva  11 , Sandra Garrote-Corral  10 , María Ángeles Blázquez-Cañamero  12 , Carlos Marras  13 , María Piqueras-García  13 , Julia Martínez-Barrio  14 , Marina Sánchez-Lucas  15 , Josefina Cortés-Hernández  16 , Eleonora Penzo  16 , Jaime Calvo-Alén  17 , Juan Ramón de Dios  17 , Belén Álvarez Rodríguez  17 , Margarida Vasques-Rocha  17 , Eva Tomero  18 , Raúl Menor-Almagro  19 , Myriam Gandía  19 , José A Gómez-Puerta  20 , Beatriz Frade-Sosa  20 , Consuelo Ramos-Giráldez  21 , Carmen Trapero-Pérez  21 , Elvira Diez  22 , Clara Moriano  22 , Alejandro Muñoz-Jiménez  23 , Iñigo Jesús Rúa-Figueroa  3
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

Thorough assessment of the effectiveness of belimumab in a large Spanish multicenter cohort of systemic lupus erythematosus patients

Irene Altabás-González et al. Rheumatology (Oxford). .

Abstract

Objectives: To provide an overview on the current use of belimumab (BLM) in SLE patients in clinical practice and to examine its efficacy in terms of standardized outcomes, drug survival, as well as patient and safety profiles.

Methods: A longitudinal retrospective multicenter cohort including SLE patients treated with BLM at 18 Spanish centers. Data was collected upon initiation of BLM, at 6 and 12 months after initiation, and at the last recorded visit. Changes in SLEDAI-2K, the proportion of patients who achieved LLDAS and DORIS 2021, and number of flares were compared between visits. Changes in damage, glucocorticoids use and employment status pre-BLM and post-BLM were also assessed.

Results: A total of 324 patients were included with a mean follow-up of 3.8 (±2.7) years. LLDAS was attained by 45.8%, 62% and 71% of patients, and DORIS by 24%, 36.2% and 52.5% on successive visits, respectively. A total of 27.2% of patients were in DORIS ≥50% of the visits and 46% in LLDAS-50. Flares and number of flares were significantly lower one year after treatment with BLM and no changes in damage accrual were observed. Mean (±SD) prednisone dose was significantly reduced over time, with 70 (24%) patients discontinuing GC.

Conclusion: Our study not only demonstrates belimumab's efficacy in attaining treat-to-target goals in SLE patients, but also confirms its GC-sparing effect, and its prevention of flares and organ damage accrual.

Keywords: DORIS; LLDAS; Spanish; belimumab; biologics; cohort; effectiveness; remission; systemic lupus erythematosus; target.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Rates of therapeutic targets attained over time by patients being treated with BLM
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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