Lupus Encyclopedia

Sjogren's Foundation is holding a Town Hall 
Get your questions answered!
​Know the latest!

Author

Don Thomas, MD

Author

Don Thomas, MD 

This is a list of recommendations on what to do with immunosuppressant drugs and COVID vaccine

American College of Rheumatology Clinical Guidance Summary UPDATED JUN 2021

Author

Don Thomas, MD, author of "The Lupus Encyclopedia" and "The Lupus Secrets" 

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) can go into remission on medications or treatment

Author

Don Thomas, MD author of "The Lupus Encyclopedia" and "The Lupus Secrets"

Do not automatically stop hydroxychloroquine if your eye doctor tells you your patient has HCQ-retinopathy!

Heed my practical advice below

Normal SD-OCT from a 24 year old man

SD-OCT and VF 10-2 results have false positives. Don't stop your lupus patient's most important medicine without doing the following:

Bull's eye retinopathy should be a thing of the past, if we use mfERG, SD-OCT, VF 10-2, and VF 24-2 (in Asians) properly

Author

Don Thomas, MD, author of "The Lupus Encyclopedia" and "The Lupus Secrets"

References:

Aduriz-Lorenzo PM, Aduriz-Llaneza P, Araiz-Iribarren J, Khamashta MA. Current opinion on hydroxychloroquine-related retinal toxicity screening: where do we stand now? Lupus. 2020;29(7):671-675. doi:10.1177/0961203320919499

K Broderick, MD, Harrison Ngo, BS, Reshma Katira, MD [abstract]. Evaluation of SD-OCT Results in Screening Patients in Early and Later Stages of HCQ Maculopathy. American Academy of Ophth. AAO 2020 Vision Virtual Meeting, NOV 13-15.

Browning, DJ, Lee, C. Relative sensitivity and specificity of 10-2 visual fields, multifocal electroretinography, and spectral domain optical coherence tomography in detecting hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine retinopathy. Clin Ophthalmol 2014; 8: 1389–1399.

Browning DJ, Lee C. Scotoma analysis of 10-2 visual field testing with a red target in screening for hydroxychloroquine retinopathy. Clin Ophthalmol. 2015;9:1499-1509. Published 2015 Aug 20. doi:10.2147/OPTH.S87850

Lyons JS, Severns ML. Detection of early hydroxychloroquine retinal toxicity enhanced by ring ratio analysis of multifocal electroretinography. Am J Ophthalmol. 2007 May;143(5):801-809. doi: 10.1016/j.ajo.2006.12.042. Epub 2007 Mar 6. PMID: 17336914.

New guidelines from the American College of Rheumatology for the COVID-19 vaccine

COVID-19 vaccine: Please get yours!

Drug recommendations summary:

Other important recommendations from the ACR:

Author

Don Thomas, author of "The Lupus Encyclopedia" and "The Lupus Secrets"

How lupus causes hair loss
What you can do about it
Much of the time... it is NOT due to lupus

Learn more from Don Thomas MD and the Lupus Foundation of America

Discoid lupus causes permanent hair loss (scarring alopecia) - it is a medical emergency!

Click above for part 1 above ... Part 2 below

Author

Don Thomas, MD author "The Lupus Encyclopedia" and "The Lupus Secrets"

Join us FEB 11, 8PM EST, 2021 for a learning seminar online about lupus, hair, skin problems!
​With practical solutions!

LFA ZOOM Seminar on hair and skin problems in lupus

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR LUPUS HAIR LOSS SEMINAR

Dr. Donald Thomas will talk about the medical aspect of lupus hair loss

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR LUPUS HAIR LOSS SEMINAR

Dr. Thomas recommends not waiting to his patients, read below...

Author

Don Thomas, MD, author of "The Lupus Encyclopedia" and "The Lupus Secrets"

1/22/21 is a historical day for me!
​PLEASE... everyone... get yours as soon as you can!

Author

Don Thomas, MD, author of "The Lupus Encyclopedia" and "The Lupus Secrets"

New study shows the answers: FREE study to read
Annals of Internal Medicine

Wear a mask to protect others!

Author

Don Thomas, MD, author of "The Lupus Encyclopedia" and "The Lupus Secrets"

Protect yourself from medical mistakes.
Lupus Question of the day ...

Author

Don Thomas, MD, author of "The Lupus Encyclopedia" and "The Lupus Secrets"

Antimalarial drugs can treat autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, Sjogren's, and rheumatoid arthritis...
​
Here's how! (described in easy to understand language)

Malaria organism attaching to a red blood cell to infect. Photo by NIAID: https://www.flickr.com/photos/54591706@N02/34034143483

electron microscope of malarial food vacuole (fv) inside the malaria parasite. This is where Plaquenil changes the pH (credit cited below)

Author

Don Thomas, MD, author of "The Lupus Encyclopedia" and "The Lupus Secrets"

Other references:

Torigoe M, Sakata K, Ishii A, Iwata S, Nakayamada S, Tanaka Y. Hydroxychloroquine efficiently suppresses inflammatory responses of human class-switched memory B cells via Toll-like receptor 9 inhibition. Clin Immunol. 2018 Oct;195:1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.clim.2018.07.003. Epub 2018 Jul 4. PMID: 29981383.

Wang F, Muller S. Manipulating autophagic processes in autoimmune diseases: a special focus on modulating chaperone-mediated autophagy, an emerging therapeutic target. Front Immunol. 2015;6:252. Published 2015 May 19. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2015.00252​

Lupus Question of The Day: Is Benlysta for mild nephritis?

Ask Dr. T question and shortened answer about Benlysta in lupus nephritis

Author

Don Thomas, MD, author of "The Lupus Encyclopedia" and "The Lupus Secrets"

Note that this post is for informational purposes only, and is not meant to be specific medical advice. Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider with any questions regarding your own medical situation.

I got mine, #1, today on 12/29/20! Please get yours.

Dr. Don Thomas, MD getting his COVID-19 vaccine

How the COVID-19 vaccine works "in a nutshell"

​This is fascinating!

Author

Don Thomas, author of "The Lupus Encyclopedia" and "The Lupus Secrets"

The causes of fatigue
​
Tips on how to improve energy with Sjogren's, lupus, and related disorders

Fatigue is common in lupus

Author

Don Thomas, MD, author of "The Lupus Encyclopedia" and "The Lupus Secrets"

Should you take probiotics if you have lupus?

Author

Don Thomas, MD, author of "The Lupus Encyclopedia" and "The Lupus Secrets"

The Science of how Stress affects the Immune System
​Also: Tips on decreasing stress

SHARE with everyone who has an autoimmune disease

COMMENT above: how do you deal with and prevent stress?

​What advice do you have for others?

Author

Don Thomas, MD, author of "The Lupus Encyclopedia" and "The Lupus Secrets"

Should lupus patients get the COVID-19 vaccine?

Author

Don Thomas, MD, author of "The Lupus Encyclopedia" and "The Lupus Secrets"

1st drug ever FDA-approved to treat lupus nephritis

​Historic mile-stone!
​

Author

Don Thomas, MD, author of The Lupus Encyclopedia and The Lupus Secrets

References:

Furie R, Rovin BH, Houssiau F, Malvar A, Teng YKO, Contreras G, Amoura Z, Yu X, Mok CC, Santiago MB, Saxena A, Green Y, Ji B, Kleoudis C, Burriss SW, Barnett C, Roth DA. Two-Year, Randomized, Controlled Trial of Belimumab in Lupus Nephritis. N Engl J Med. 2020 Sep 17;383(12):1117-1128. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2001180. PMID: 32937045.

Simple, effective strategies to improve your sleep

Tips on better sleep

Sleep Hygiene Techniques

Author

Don Thomas, MD, author of "The Lupus Encyclopedia" and "The Lupus Secrets"

WARNING:

Following this lupus diet results in significant weight loss.
​Do not follow this plan unless you can afford to lose weight.

Author

written by Donald Thomas, MD
author of "The Lupus Encyclopedia"
Arthritis and Pain Associates of PG County
301-345-5600
www.arthritispainpg.com

How to Manage Holiday STRESS!

Ask Dr. T Question about lupus diet and vegetarians