Treatment Target in Newly Diagnosed Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: The Association of Lupus Low Disease Activity State and Remission With Lower Accrual of Early Damage

Objective To compare the effect of achievement and maintenance of Lupus Low Disease Activity State (LLDAS) and clinical remission (CR) in preventing early damage accrual in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods In a monocentric cohort of 116 newly diagnosed SLE patients, LLDAS and CR achievement at 6 months (T1) after treatment initiation and their maintenance over the next 12 months were assessed. Early damage was recorded after 18 months of follow-up (T2) using the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate the association of LLDAS and CR with early damage. Results LLDAS was significantly more attained than CR both at T1 (42.2% versus 21.6% of patients; P < 0.001) and T2 (46.6% versus 31.9%; P = 0.022). The overlap rate between persistent LLDAS and persistent CR was 41.7% (n = 15). On multivariate analysis, achievement of CR (odds ratio [OR] 0.07 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.01-0.59], P = 0.015) and LLDAS (OR 0.25 [95% CI 0.06-0.99], P = 0.049) at T1 were independently associated with lower accrual of early damage. Patients who achieved LLDAS (including CR) at T1 and steadily persisted in this condition until T2 developed significantly less damage compared to those who failed to maintain it during the T1-T2 interval (P = 0.003), those who achieved it later than T1 (P < 0.001), or those who had never been in this condition (P < 0.001). Conclusion Although CR is recommended as the primary treatment target in SLE, LLDAS represents a valid alternative in the early stage of SLE management. LLDAS and CR maintenance should be targeted to prevent damage.