Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)-03

In August 2016, 20-year-old Ms. A developed small red spots all over her body and frequent fevers, and she had low platelet counts, seven months after giving birth. After multiple examinations at local hospitals, she was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) at a provincial hospital. In October of the same year, she began receiving treatment at her local hospital.

"For the past seven years, I've had to visit the hospital monthly for prescriptions, frequent blood tests, urine tests, and constant medication and injections, but the condition kept recurring, which was very painful," Ms. A said. In an effort to treat her disease, her husband took her to several hospitals, but the high costs brought no relief to her condition. Eventually, she developed lupus nephritis and encephalopathy, and in September 2022, she underwent brain surgery. Hearing that CAR-T therapy could potentially treat SLE, Ms. A sought help from our hospital, where the expert team immediately analyzed her condition.

The doctor explained, "When this patient was first admitted, she had generalized edema, significant proteinuria, and positive antibodies. She had undergone traditional hormone and immunosuppressive therapies, as well as seven rounds of biological treatment, but none were effective. She developed lupus encephalopathy, pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary fibrosis, and her renal biopsy indicated active lupus. This showed that traditional and biological treatments were ineffective." Compared to traditional chemical agents or monoclonal antibodies, CAR-T cells can penetrate tissue barriers, distribute widely in tissues, and exert a cytotoxic effect, especially against B cells or plasma cells in tissue gaps unreachable by monoclonal antibodies. Without the 'seeds of disease,' the patient's autoantibodies gradually decrease, complements return to normal, and symptoms gradually relieve or disappear." Therefore, the patient successfully underwent CAR-T therapy.

Ms. A said, "Now the red spots on my body are gone, and I no longer need hormone medications or immunosuppressants. I used to have frequent blood and urine tests, but now I only need them every six months. My overall condition is great, and all indicators are normal. Today is my third follow-up visit, and the results from the previous two visits were good. I am very grateful to the medical staff for giving me a second chance at life."