Toward a liquid biopsy for lupus

In this episode of Arthritis At Home featuring lupus highlights from #CRArthritis, we are sharing our interview with Dr. Andrea Fava, Faculty Member at the Johns Hopkins Lupus Center. Dr. Fava speaks about his RheumNow presentation on how a liquid biopsy for lupus nephritis can benefit patients. Dr. Fava defines what lupus nephritis and systemic lupus erythematosus are. He follows with a definition of what and how a liquid biopsy is done – a procedure that uses urine samples instead of taking a small sample of tissue or cell by using a needle or scalpel to remove the tissue or cell. In traditional biopsy of the kidney, low protein in the urine may not necessarily mean no inflammation. A liquid biopsy can benefit patients because it is less invasive and can predict who is responding to medication by observing trends more frequently and faster. It also reduces the risk of irreversible kidney damage, which in most cases, happens in the first 6 months. Additional learning resources Johns Hopkins Lupus CenterThe Rheumatologist: A liquid biopsy for lupus nephritis?Arthritis Consumer Experts’ National Survey on Lupus Report: Part One