Lunch Symposium 1

Objectives:

SLE is a heterogeneous, systemic autoimmune disease with significant unmet need despite advances in treatment and the emergence of treat-to-target (T2T) as a guiding principle in rheumatology. In SLE, however, T2T remains particularly challenging because clinicians must balance disease control against organ-specific complexity, safety considerations, steroid burden, patient-reported symptoms such as fatigue, and important life-stage issues including pregnancy and family planning. This symposium will address why T2T in SLE should be viewed not as a fixed algorithm, but as an individualized framework for achieving sustainable disease control with an acceptable benefit–risk profile. By reviewing current challenges, the evolving management landscape, and practical case-based scenarios, the session will highlight how clinicians can better define and apply meaningful treatment targets in contemporary SLE care.

Learning objectives

• Recognise why T2T in SLE is challenging in a complex, heterogeneous disease.
• Evaluate how treatment choices in SLE involve trade-offs between disease control, safety, patient wishes and steroid use.
• Apply an individualized T2T approach to real-world patients, including organ-threatening disease and women of childbearing age