New Lupus SLE Clinical Practice Guidelines Released

ATLANTA – The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) officially released its updated Guideline for the Treatment of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) today. This guideline provides evidence-based recommendations for the management and treatment of lupus, reflecting the synthesis of the latest research and clinical expertise in the field.

TThe new manuscript, published just after ACR Convergence 2025 conference presentation in Chicago, includes comprehensive explanations of each recommendation and a detailed synthesis of the supporting evidence. While the recommendations themselves remain consistent with those presented during the public comment period and in the published summary, this document offers expanded insight into the rationale behind each recommendation, and the many clinical nuances that may affect treatment decisions.

 “In this guideline, we present treatment recommendations applicable to children and adults with SLE, with the goals of achieving and maintaining remission or a low level of disease activity, reducing morbidity and mortality, and minimizing treatment-related toxicities,” said Lisa Sammaritano, MD, lead author on the guideline, professor of clinical medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine, and an attending physician in the Hospital for Special Surgery Division of Rheumatology. ”The major updates include universal use of hydroxychloroquine, minimizing glucocorticoid exposure to < 5 mg prednisone daily, and earlier introduction of conventional and/or biologic immunosuppressive therapies. We also emphasize the role of shared decision-making between clinicians and patients, because multiple factors may impact choice of therapy.” 

The updated SLE guidelines continue to address key domains such as:

• Treatment strategies for overall disease as well as organ-specific disease manifestations
• The use of immunosuppressive and biologic therapies
• Disease monitoring and prevention of complications

The ACR’s guideline development process follows the internationally recognized GRADE methodology, ensuring transparency, balance, and rigor in evaluating the available evidence.

The full guideline manuscript will be available following its presentation at the 2025 ACR Convergence and will be published in Arthritis & Rheumatology and Arthritis Care & Research. View the complete manuscript >

Media Contact
Teri Arnold
Director, Public Relations & Communications
tarnold@rheumatology.org
757-272-7002

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About the American College of Rheumatology
Founded in 1934, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) is a not-for-profit, professional association committed to advancing the specialty of rheumatology that serves over 10,000 physicians, health professionals, researchers and scientists worldwide. In doing so, the ACR offers education, research, advocacy and practice management support to help its members continue their innovative work and provide quality patient care. Rheumatology professionals are experts in the diagnosis, management and treatment of more than 100 different types of arthritis and rheumatic diseases.

About ACR Convergence
ACR Convergence, the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology, is where rheumatology meets to collaborate, celebrate, congregate, and learn. With hundreds of sessions and thousands of abstracts, it offers a superior combination of basic science, clinical science, business education and interactive discussions to improve patient care and advance the specialty. For more information about the meeting, visit the ACR Convergence page, or join the conversation on X by following the official hashtag (#ACR25).