Value and goals of treat-to-target in systemic lupus erythematosus: knowledge and foresight

Treat-to-target is a therapeutic strategy aimed at improving disease outcome through the achievement of shared treatment goals, which has dramatically ameliorated the prognosis of widespread disorders, such as hypertension or diabetes.

Conversely, efforts to delineate treat-to-target in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have failed in pinpointing common goals and treatment strategies, probably because of disease heterogeneity and lack of measurable biomarkers predicting disease course and ensuring a safe treatment tapering during quiescence.

Given the detrimental effects of persistent disease activity and protracted corticosteroid therapy on patients’ outcome in lupus, disease remission should be pursued whenever possible. Fortunately, clinical remission is currently realistic for a greater number of patients than it was in the past, yet tight monitoring is required in order for patients to benefit from disease- and corticosteroid-free intervals, while minimizing the risk of disease flares.

In everyday practice, patients should be brought to the lowest level of disease activity ensuring a significant benefit over a persistently active disease, being either clinical remission or low disease activity.