COPD and Asthma Worsen Clinical Outcomes in SLE Patients

Researchers determined the prevalence of asthma and COPD as the presence of conditions at individuals' first interviews; incidence as new reports over the next 3years. They examined the cross‐sectional associations of asthma/COPD with patient‐reported outcomes (PROs) and longitudinal analyses associations with asthma/COPD at entry with PROs 3 years later.

Key findings of the study were;

• In FORWARD, the researchers noted that about 19.8% and 8.3% of participants reported asthma and COPD, respectively, at entry. In LOS, 36.0% reported the presence of either (US population comparisons: asthma, 9.7%; COPD, 6.1%).

• In a cross‐sectional analysis, they found that asthma/COPD was associated with worse PROs, including disease activity.

• In FORWARD, they noted that individuals with asthma experienced greater worsening of fatigue, pain, and global health ratings longitudinally; individuals with COPD experienced greater increases in self‐reported SLE activity.

• However, they noted no such patterns in the LOS.

The authors concluded, "Asthma and COPD appeared to be more common in SLE than in the general US population and were associated with worse status on PROs cross‐sectionally. Asthma was linked to decrements in PROs longitudinally."

For further information:

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/acr2.11212