Changes in White Blood Cell Levels in Lupus may Show Condition's Development

In addition to these results, the author of this study also noted that their findings could have been affected by the immunosuppressant medications that are often prescribed to lupus patients. What happens is that these medications alter the number of white blood cells in the body—hence the possibility of a count that’s not altogether reflective of the actual number in lupus patients. Nonetheless, even this possibility paves the way for a need for future studies. Therefore, the quest for more information about the number and activity of white blood cells in SLE patients has only begun, but at least there’s a promising direction to follow.

All in all, the researchers emphasize the importance of demonstrating for the first time ever that certain specific subsets of white blood cells are regulated in a distinct manner in SLE patients. This discovery, in turn, shows the role that monocytes play in the onset and development of this condition. Likewise, they anticipate that this newfound information willadvance the research of SLE. This research, in turn, can shed more light on how the immune system behaves in a body that falls prey to SLE and perhaps how it can be treated more effectively.And that is encouraging news in the battle against lupus.