Addressing the Impact, Development and Treatment of Lupus in Low- to Middle-Income Countries

A new review on the epidemiology of lupus suggests the creation of a tiered system of diagnosis to help lessen the challenges of lupus diagnosis in low- to middle-income countries. Ranging from sole reliance on clinical features to a combination of clinical features and testing that requires few resources at the point of care would greatly benefit these populations. Lupus disproportionately affects women, and people of Asian, Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous descent.

The reviewers suggest that understanding the global distribution of the disease and its outcomes in different regions will enable a better understanding of the overall causes of lupus and help identify further treatment needs, including the development of improved diagnostic tools and enhancing disbursement of trained clinicians or telehealth services where healthcare access is most needed. Knowledge of disease distribution and access to care will also help in advancing clinical trials and the expansion of therapies to underrepresented regions.

Lupus affects people in different ways with higher incidence, prevalence, and mortality in peoples of color. Recently, a Global Advisory Committee of lupus experts met through the Addressing Lupus Pillars for Health Advancement (ALPHA) Project, a global initiative spearheaded by the Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) and offered changes to consider to better help people with lupus. Continue to follow the LFA for updates on lupus global developments.

Read the review