There is a vital role of B cells in the pathogenesis of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). Belimumab (Bel), an inhibitor of B cell activating factor (BAFF), and Rituximab (RTX), a monoclonal antibody targeting Cd20 antigen, have been used to manage systemic lupus. Several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have evaluated these two agents\' clinical efficacy and safety in different manifestations of SLE. This study aims to review the randomized control trials involving these two agents systematically and to explain if any disparity is noticed in the primary and secondary outcomes between these two agents. This study is done according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. After applying the inclusion criteria and quality assessment by independent reviewers and co-authors, relevant papers were identified, and data were extracted. The results have shown that RCTs involving Belimumab achieved primary endpoints; however, targeted endpoints were not achieved in studies involving Rituximab. It is concluded that despite the conflicting results obtained in clinical trials, both are effective in systemic lupus, as indicated in real-world clinical experience. However, better-designed multicenter studies evaluating these B-cell-targeting drugs are needed.

Purpose: The association between COVID-19 and hypercoagulability is well established. This is a case of a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who developed unilateral renal vein thrombosis following COVID-19, the third case described in the international literature so far. Methods: Clinical, laboratory characteristics and outcomes of the patient were described in detail. Literature review was performed on MEDLINE database via Pubmed. Search items included COVID-19, renal infarction, and renal thrombosis. A total of fifty-three cases were located. Of these, only two patients had renal vein thrombosis but none of them carried a diagnosis of SLE. However, six cases have been published so far involving SLE patients in whom thromboembolic events developed following COVID-19, but none of them experienced renal vein thrombosis. Conclusion: The present case adds a new piece to the emerging puzzle of COVID-19 associated hypercoagulability, especially among patients with autoimmune diseases.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune, multisystem rheumatic disease with significant impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) provide valuable data on patient perceptions across a variety of domains, such as HRQoL, pain, fatigue, and depression. The measurement and results of PROs with respect to HRQoL in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on belimumab (B-lymphocyte stimulator inhibitor) in SLE are reviewed here, including BLISS-52 and BLISS-76, as well as publications related to belimumab trials that included HRQoL data. Other trials that evaluated belimumab did not include HRQoL data and were therefore not included in the analysis. The BLISS-52 and BLISS-76 RCTs met their primary endpoints and demonstrated improvements in PROs, measured by the 36-item Short Form Health Survey, EuroQol 5 Dimensions, and Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue Scale. Belimumab was shown overall to improve PROs in adult autoantibody-positive lupus patients.

Neuropsychiatric and renal involvement are common in systemic lupus erythematosus with negative impact on patient survival. Glucocorticoids, antiproliferative and cytotoxic agents represent first-line therapies, but are often ineffective and are burdened by significant toxicities. Despite the negative results of two randomized controlled trials, rituximab is still widely used as second- or third-line therapy in similar cases. No case has been reported so far where rituximab has been used as first-line therapy. We report the case of a 60-year-old cCaucasian woman with concurrent neuropsychiatric and renal lupus erythematous treated with one cycle of rituximab therapy at disease onset. Treatment was well tolerated and at 24 months the patient is in complete remission and free of immunosuppression. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of neuropsychiatric and renal lupus erythematosus successfully treated with rituximab as first-line therapy.