Efficacy and safety of telitacicept therapy in systemic lupus erythematosus with hematological involvement

Jirong Cheng; Yuanhong Peng; Qiurong Wu; Qian Wu; Jing He; Guohua Yuan

doi:10.1007/s10067-024-06992-7

Efficacy and safety of telitacicept therapy in systemic lupus erythematosus with hematological involvement

Clin Rheumatol. 2024 May 20. doi: 10.1007/s10067-024-06992-7. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Jirong Cheng^#¹, Yuanhong Peng^#^{2

1}, Qiurong Wu¹, Qian Wu¹, Jing He³, Guohua Yuan^{4

5}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, The Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, 637000, China.
² Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
³ Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Peking University People's Hospital, 11 Xizhimen South St., Beijing, 100044, China. hejing@pkuph.edu.cn.
⁴ Jinan University, Guangzhou, China. ghyuan1981@139.com.
⁵ Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, The Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, 637000, China. ghyuan1981@139.com.

^# Contributed equally.

PMID: 38767710
DOI: 10.1007/s10067-024-06992-7

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of telitacicept in SLE patients specifically with hematological involvement.

Method: A total of 22 patients with SLE and hematological involvement were included in this study. These patients received telitacicept in addition to standard therapy. We compared their demographic characteristics, clinical manifestations, and laboratory indicators before and after the administration of telitacicept.

Results: A total of 22 patients received telitacicept treatment for a median duration of 10.4 months (ranging from 6 to 19 months). Following telitacicept therapy, significant improvements were observed in various parameters compared to baseline. Specifically, white blood cell count increased from (3.98 ± 1.80) 10⁹/L to (6.70 ± 2.47) 10⁹/L, (P = 0.002), hemoglobin levels increased from (100 ± 19) g/L to (125 ± 22) g/L, (P < 0.001), and platelet count increased from (83 ± 60) 10⁹/L to (161 ± 81) 10⁹/L, (P = 0.004). SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) scores decreased from 12(5,15) to 0(0,4), (P < 0.001). Additionally, C3 and C4 levels showed improvement. Telitacicept treatment also resulted in a significant reduction in serum IgG levels and daily prednisone dosage. Only one adverse event (4.5%) was reported during the treatment, which was a urinary tract infection.

Conclusion: The combination of telitacicept and standard treatment demonstrated significant improvements in anemia, as well as increased leukocyte and platelet levels in patients with SLE and hematological involvement. Importantly, the observed adverse events were manageable and controllable. Key Points • Telitacicept effectively improves anemia, clinical outcomes, and increases leukocyte and platelet counts. • Treatment with telitacicept leads to decreased levels of lgG, IgA, anti-dsDNA, and SLEDAI scores, while serum complement C3 and C4 returned to normal. • During the follow-up period there were observed changes in individual parameters, clinical symptoms, and organ involvement, all without significant adverse events.

Keywords: Hematological involvement; Lupus erythematosus, systemic; Telitacicept.

Abstract

Grants and funding