Congress of American College of Rheumatologists

ACR - The Congress of American College of Rheumatologists took place in Chicago November 9-14th. This is THE event in our medical world, and this year for the first time, we presented the poster:
No.2270 "The Substantial Negative Impact of SLE on the Working Lives of Patients: Results of the Lupus European Online (LEO) Survey", by Professor Matthias Schneider, of Heinrich Heine University Hospital and long time LUPUS EUROPE Co-opted Medical Advisor and Chair of the LEO Medical Panel.
The poster presents some of the results of the LEO survey:

• The LEO survey demonstrates that SLE patients believe that the disease adversely affects patients' careers, work productivity and general activity.
• Respondents who had to change work commitments because of SLE reported greater fatigue levels, worse HRQoL, greater loss of productivity, more body systems affected by SLE and more medication use.
• Respondents receiving social or disability allowance were the most impacted by the disease.
• These results demonstrate the extensive burden of SLE for patients, in terms of worse quality of life, negative impact on career and lost productivity.
• The survey highlights the social need for specialist psychologists or psychotherapists to help SLE patients with the consequences of their disease and its impact on their life.

Other news

• Benlysta-case, where the petition gave x signatures and NICE will have the Second Appraisal Committee meeting on November 23, 2011 after which the Final Appraisal Determination will be issued.
• Excellence in Rheumatology - applications from 25 lupus representatives to receive bursary to attend the Second Congress of Excellence in Rheumatology in Madrid, January 2012 have been collected and acknowledged.
• Patient Programme of the Autoimmunity Congress 2012 (May, Grenada) has been launched for lupus and other autoimmunity patient organisations to attend.