Unmet Treatment Needs of People with Lupus

Findings from a Lupus Foundation of America study show a high level of burden with current treatments and unmet needs in managing lupus symptoms.

 

Reducing pain, fatigue and flares were reported as top treatment goals for people with lupus. Besides that, the 500 people with lupus at the survey reported:

 

Concerns with treatments: while there was a wide range of satisfaction with treatments (ranging from 55-94%), a high level of burden with current therapies and unmet needs in managing lupus symptoms remained significant concerns;

 

Frequent treatment burdens: inconvenient process for administration treatments and experiencing side effects; slow onset of effect;  need to have routine monitoring for adverse effects; and risk of long-term complications associated with treatment;

 

Treatments needs: the most prominent lupus symptoms reported were fatigue (69%), joint stiffness (57%), pain or swelling in joints (53%), and muscle pain (52%). Reducing the symptoms was among the top treatment goals for people with lupus, in addition to reducing the frequency or severity of flares.

 

Need to improve communication around treatment goals: while three-quarters of respondents (76,9%) shared that their physician´s plans for their therapy matched their own goals, most participants (63%) indicated that their physicians had not actually asked about their treatment goals during the past three months.

 

Are you a lupus patient like me? Do you share these burdens? Tell me, and we can face it together!

 

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