Management and treatment of children, young people and adults with systemic lupus erythematosus: British Society for Rheumatology guideline scope

The objective of this guideline is to provide up-to-date, evidence-based recommendations for the management of SLE that builds upon the existing treatment guideline for adults living with SLE published in 2017. This will incorporate advances in the assessment, diagnosis, monitoring, non-pharmacological and pharmacological management of SLE. General approaches to management as well as organ-specific treatment, including lupus nephritis and cutaneous lupus, will be covered. This will be the first guideline in SLE using a whole life course approach from childhood through adolescence and adulthood. The guideline will be developed with people with SLE as an important target audience in addition to health-care professionals. It will include guidance related to emerging approved therapies and account for National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Technology Appraisals, National Health Service England clinical commissioning policies and national guidance relevant to SLE. The guideline will be developed using the methods and rigorous processes outlined in 'Creating Clinical Guidelines: Our Protocol' by the British Society for Rheumatology. Lay Summary Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a lifelong condition in which the immune system damages the body's own tissues, causing various symptoms including rashes, hair loss, mouth ulcers, joint pain and overwhelming tiredness. It can also affect major organs including the kidneys, heart, lungs and brain. SLE can present during childhood, but most commonly affects young and middle-aged females. It is approximately nine times more common in females than males. The disease can lead to disability, poor quality of life and even death in severe cases. Treatments can often be difficult to tolerate and can cause both short- and long-term side effects. Guidelines developed by the British Society for Rheumatology aim to provide guidance for diagnosing and treating people with SLE. This is necessary to ensure that the most up-to-date approach is followed, utilising the safest and most effective treatments. This article describes the plan for a guideline in SLE that is being updated to cover new evidence that has been published since 2017 relating to the treatment and management of SLE. The guideline will take a whole life course approach, from childhood to adulthood, and is being undertaken by a working group consisting of paediatric and adult rheumatologists and nephrologists, SLE experts, general practitioners, specialist nurses and other healthcare professionals, together with people with SLE and representatives from patient organizations. The guideline will be developed using the methods and processes outlined in the British Society for Rheumatology document 'Creating Clinical Guidelines: Our Protocol'.