Oral glucocorticoid patterns use in moderate to severe active SLE: insights from the Spanish SPOCS data

The unpredictable nature of the SLE disease activity makes its management particularly challenging. Current treatment options for SLE focus on managing the inflammatory status, decreasing the symptoms and reducing the frequency and severity of flares. Glucocorticoids (GCs) are a common and still essential treatment for SLE due to their rapid and potent anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects. However, prolonged GC use is linked to various adverse events like infections, osteoporosis, avascular necrosis, cataracts and diabetes, contributing crucially to organ damage. 1 Consequently, the most recently updated European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) recommendations for the management of SLE advocate for using the lowest possible prednisone-equivalent GC dose (≤5.0 mg/day) and discontinuing use when feasible, emphasising the importance of GC-sparing agents, such as biologics or immunosuppressives.1