Joann Zell Gillis

Females are more susceptible than males to many autoimmune diseases. The processes causing this phenomenon are incompletely understood. Here, we demonstrate that aged female mice acquire a previously uncharacterized population of B cells that we call age-associated B cells (ABCs) and that these cells express integrin α(X) chain (CD11c). This unexpected population also appears in young lupus-prone mice. On stimulation, CD11c(+) B cells, both from autoimmune-prone and healthy strains of mice, secrete autoantibodies, and depletion of these cells in vivo leads to reduction of autoreactive antibodies, suggesting that the cells might have a direct role in the development of autoimmunity. We have explored factors that contribute to appearance of ABCs and demonstrated that signaling through Toll-like receptor 7 is crucial for development of this B cell population. We were able to detect a similar population of B cells in the peripheral blood of some elderly women with autoimmune disease, suggesting that there may be parallels between the creation of ABC-like cells between mice and humans.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically develop a quality indicator (QI) set for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS: We used a validated process that combined available scientific evidence and expert consensus to develop a QI set for SLE. We extracted 20 candidate indicators from a systematic literature review of clinical practice guidelines pertaining to SLE. An advisory panel revised and augmented these candidate indicators and, through 2 rounds of voting, arrived at 25 QIs. These QIs advanced to the next phase of the project, in which we employed a modification of the RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method. A systematic review of the literature was performed for each QI, linking the proposed process of care to potential improved health outcomes. After reviewing this scientific evidence, a second interdisciplinary expert panel convened to discuss the evidence and provide final ratings on the validity and feasibility of each QI. RESULTS: The final expert panel rated 20 QIs as both valid and feasible. Areas covered included diagnosis, general preventive strategies (e.g., vaccinations, sun avoidance counseling, and screening for cardiovascular disease), osteoporosis prevention and treatment, drug toxicity monitoring, renal disease, and reproductive health. CONCLUSION: We employed a rigorous multistep approach with systematic literature reviews and 2 expert panels to develop QIs for SLE. This new set of indicators provides an opportunity to assess health care quality in patients with SLE and represents an initial step toward the important goal of improving care in this patient population.

OBJECTIVE: To track changes in the proportion of persons ages 18-64 with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who were employed from diagnosis through 2004, to estimate changes in annual work hours during this time, and to describe risk factors for work loss among those employed at diagnosis. METHODS: A structured telephone survey was administered to a cohort of 982 persons with SLE, which was assembled between 2002 and 2004. Of the 900 enrolled in 2002-2003, 832 (92%) were re-interviewed in 2004. We tabulated the proportion employed at diagnosis, at baseline interview, and at followup in 2004. Among individuals employed at each time frame, we estimated the hours of work per year. We then used the Kaplan-Meier method to estimate time until work loss among individuals employed at diagnosis and Cox proportional hazards regression to describe the risk factors for such work loss. RESULTS: Between diagnosis and followup interview, the proportion employed declined from 74% to 54%. Over the same period, hours of work per year declined by 32.2% among all individuals with a work history, but by only 1% among those continuously employed. Among individuals working at diagnosis, the proportion employed declined by 15% and 63% after 5 and 20 years, respectively. Demographics (age, sex, and education) and work characteristics (physical and psychological demands of jobs and level of control) were the principal determinants of work loss. CONCLUSION: Total cessation of employment, rather than reduced hours among employed persons, accounts for most of the decline in annual work hours among persons with SLE.