Withdrawal of low-dose prednisone in inactive SLE patients: Is there another alternative?

I read with great interest, the recently published article in your journal titled ‘Withdrawal of low-dose prednisone in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with a clinically quiescent disease for more than 1 year: a randomised clinical trial’ by Mathian et al .1 In this article, the authors conclude that the maintenance of long-term 5 mg prednisone in SLE patients with inactive disease prevents relapses. In the recent update of European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) recommendations for the management of SLE,2 the experts say that the …