How can lupus symptoms best be treated?
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) supports research on health and disease. The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) supports research on the bones, connective tissue, joints, muscles, and skin. These are the parts of the body that can be affected by lupus. Research supported by NIAMS is looking at these issues: • Scientists have demonstrated that people with lupus who test positive for certain antibodies are more likely to have severe flares and that taking prednisone can prevent flares in many individuals. • Proteins have been identified in the urine of lupus patients that can indicate the type and severity of kidney disease they have. A simple blood test based on this finding could help patients avoid painful and costly kidney biopsies. • Certain genes make some people more likely to have serious complications, such as kidney disease. NIAMS researchers have found a gene linked to a higher risk of lupus kidney disease in African Americans
