Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42435119›Full record

ArticleRheumatology and therapy2026

Duration of Belimumab Therapy and Timing of Initiation as Predictors of Clinical Outcomes in Childhood-Onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Real-World Retrospective Study.

Baixu Sun, Shipeng Li, Fengqiao Gao, Shuo Liu, Wei Zhao, Junmei Zhang, Xiaohua Tan, Chao Li, Caifeng Li

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Article in Rheumatology and therapy, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Baixu Sun *Department of Rheumatology, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Nan Li Shi Road No. 56, Beijing, 100045, China.
Shipeng Li *Department of Rheumatology, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Nan Li Shi Road No. 56, Beijing, 100045, China.
Fengqiao GaoDepartment of Rheumatology, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Nan Li Shi Road No. 56, Beijing, 100045, China.
Shuo LiuDepartment of Rheumatology, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Nan Li Shi Road No. 56, Beijing, 100045, China.
Wei ZhaoDepartment of Rheumatology, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Nan Li Shi Road No. 56, Beijing, 100045, China.
Junmei ZhangDepartment of Rheumatology, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Nan Li Shi Road No. 56, Beijing, 100045, China.
Xiaohua TanDepartment of Rheumatology, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Nan Li Shi Road No. 56, Beijing, 100045, China.
Chao LiDepartment of Rheumatology, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Nan Li Shi Road No. 56, Beijing, 100045, China.
Caifeng LiDepartment of Rheumatology, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Nan Li Shi Road No. 56, Beijing, 100045, China. caifeng_li@yeah.net.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionBelimumab is the only biologic approved for childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE), yet evidence on the optimal timing of initiation and duration of therapy remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of belimumab treatment duration and timing of initiation on clinical outcomes in cSLE.

methodsThis retrospective study included 182 patients with cSLE treated with belimumab at Beijing Children's Hospital between September 2015 and September 2025. Patients were stratified by timing of initiation (≤ 6 months vs. > 6 months from diagnosis) and treatment duration. Primary outcomes included childhood Lupus Low Disease Activity State (cLLDAS) and childhood Clinical Remission (cCR). In a subgroup of 95 patients with ≥ 2 years of follow-up, outcomes were compared by treatment duration (< 1 year, 1-2 years, ≥ 2 years) and by timing of initiation. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify independent predictors.

resultsAmong 182 patients (81.9% female; median age 11.2 years), the median belimumab treatment duration was 14 months (IQR 7-23.8). Among 95 patients with ≥ 2 years of follow-up, cLLDAS rates increased with treatment duration: 50.0% (n = 10), 70.7% (n = 41), and 81.8% (n = 44); cCR rates were 20.0% (n = 10), 41.5% (n = 41), and 61.4% (n = 44), respectively (P = 0.101). Early initiation (≤ 6 months) was associated with significantly higher cCR rates (74.4% vs. 30.4%, P < 0.001) and lower SLEDAI-2K scores at last follow-up (0 vs. 2, P = 0.006) despite higher baseline disease activity. Multivariable logistic regression identified treatment duration as an independent predictor of cLLDAS (OR 1.17 per month, 95% CI 1.11-1.24; P < 0.001), cCR (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.09-1.21; P < 0.001), and glucocorticoid reduction to ≤ 7.5 mg/day (OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.13-1.27; P < 0.001). Early initiation was independently associated with higher cCR rates (OR 4.31, 95% CI 1.26-14.79; P = 0.020).

conclusionLonger belimumab treatment duration was associated with a higher likelihood of achieving favorable clinical outcomes in cSLE. Early initiation within 6 months of diagnosis was also associated with an increased probability of achieving clinical remission. These findings suggest that both sustained therapy and earlier initiation may contribute to improved disease control in cSLE.

Indexed as

BelimumabChildhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosusClinical remissionEarly initiationLow disease activity stateTreatment durationTreat-to-target

Identifiers

PMID42435119

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.