To what extent can preventive treatments prevent damage from systemic lupus erythematosus?

Managing lupus patients traditionally involves treating manifestations of active disease with the most effective and least toxic therapies so that "damage" from ongoing disease or treatments can be minimized. Damage in clinical epidemiologic studies is usually defined by the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index, a validated, organ-specific assessment tool. This review summarizes recent developments regarding organ-specific manifestations and lupus-related damage and their prevention.