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Anti-malarial medications help to control lupus in several ways by modulating the immune system without predisposing you to infection. Anti-malarials can protect against UV light and sometimes even improve skin lesions that do not respond to treatment with topical therapy (ointments).
Most physicians with experience in lupus agree that antimalarial treatments such as hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil), chloroquine (Aralen) or quinicrine (Atabrine) should be used long-term, year-after-year, in all lupus patients who can tolerate them. Why?
Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) is the most common antimalarial for lupus. If you can’t take hydroxychloroquine, your doctor may recommend chloroquine (Aralen®). These medicines can be taken as pills or liquids.
Hydroxychloroquine and other antimalarials calm your overactive immune system. They reduce lupus inflammation flares, treat symptoms, and may help prevent blood clots and organ damage.
Anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive drugs are used to treat immunological disturbances in SLE. These include non-specific anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive drugs, such as antimalarial drugs, GCs, non-corticosteroid immunosuppressants, and targeted therapies.
Antimalarial agents (AMs), mainly hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and chloroquine, are the cornerstone of treatment of cutaneous and systemic lupus erythematosus. However, many aspects of AM prescription remain empirical.
Recent findings: New data confirm the effects of antimalarials in preventing SLE activity, damage and infections and in decreasing mortality. An important reduction in use of health resources is related to continued antimalarial use. Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) may prevent preeclampsia in pregnant women with SLE.
High levels of evidence were found that AMs prevent lupus flares and increase long-term survival of patients with SLE; moderate evidence of protection against irreversible organ damage, thrombosis and bone mass loss.
Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine), like Aralen (chloroquine) and Atabrine (quinacrine) are anti-malarial drugs used to treat lupus.
How do antimalarials work for lupus? Antimalarials help control lupus symptoms, especially: 1-4. Skin rashes; Mouth; Joint pain; Inflammation; Sun sensitivity; The exact way antimalarials work to treat lupus symptoms is not known. But researchers think that their anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects may reduce cytokine production.