From the Guidelines
The Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) activity index score is measured using various indices, with the most commonly used being the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI), the British Isles Lupus Assessment Group Scale (BILAG), and the European Consensus Lupus Activity Measure (ECLAM) 1.
Key Indices
- SLEDAI: measures disease activity and reflects changes in disease activity, with higher scores indicating more active disease 1.
- BILAG: measures disease activity and damage, with higher scores indicating more severe disease 1.
- ECLAM: measures disease activity, with higher scores indicating more active disease 1.
Other Indices
Other indices, such as the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Score (SLE-DAS), Physician Global Assessment (PGA), and SLE Responder Index (SRI), are also used to measure disease activity and response to treatment 1.
Monitoring Disease Activity
Monitoring disease activity using these indices is crucial in managing SLE, as it allows for early detection of flares and adjustment of treatment accordingly 1.
Important Considerations
It is essential to use at least one of these indices to monitor disease activity, as they have been shown to be good predictors of damage and mortality 1. Additionally, new clinical manifestations, laboratory tests, and immunological tests, such as anti-dsDNA and complement levels, can provide prognostic information and should be considered in the evaluation of SLE patients 1.
From the Research
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) Activity Index Score
The SLE activity index score is a measure used to assess the disease activity in patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE).
- The SLEDAI (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index) is a validated model of experienced clinicians' global assessments of disease activity in lupus, as described in the study by 2.
- The SLEDAI score is calculated based on 24 clinical variables, with a maximum theoretical score of 105, although few patients have scores greater than 45 2.
- The SLEDAI score has been widely used to assess disease activity in SLE patients and has been shown to be a reliable and valid measure of disease activity 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
SLEDAI Score Interpretation
- A higher SLEDAI score indicates more severe disease activity, with scores ≥10 indicating high disease activity status (HDAS) 5.
- Patients with HDAS are more likely to have severe disease, higher corticosteroid exposure, and damage accrual 5.
- The SLEDAI score at the onset of disease diagnosis can be a predictor of disease outcomes, including damage and comorbidities 6.
Comparison with Other Disease Activity Scores
- The SLE-DAS (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Score) is a novel score that has been shown to be valid for defining lupus low disease activity state (LLDAS) 3.
- The SLE-DAS has been compared to the SLEDAI-2K and has been shown to have a high correlation with it, with a cut-off score of 6.62 for defining LLDAS 3.
- The SLEDAI and SLE-DAS have been shown to be of comparable value in assessing SLE activity and can complement each other 4.