The fifth installment of a series of scientific meeting spearheaded by Professor Yehuda Shoenfeld was recently held in Singapore last November 17 to 19, 2011.

 November 17, 2011: The official opening of the Autoimmunity Congress Asia.

The Ten Topics in Lupus Asia was held at the Harbour Grand Hotel in Hong Kong, last September 24-25, 2011.  Currently on its 25th year (from the first Ten Topics in Rheumatology in London) and the 3rd Ten Topics – Asia (from the first Ten Topics in Rheumatology – Asia in Singapore), the conference focused on Lupus, with internationally renowned experts including  Prof. Graham Hughes and Dr. Michelle Petri.  The conference gave the trainees the chance to interact with the experts and gain valuable advice.  The programme director of this successful event was Prof. Lau Chak Sing (HongKong), with the dynamic leadership of Prof. Feng Pao Hsii (Singapore) who also presented the LifeTime Achievement Award in Lupus to Prof. Chen Shunle (China).

The event was well represented by the Filipinos.  Our own mentor, Prof. Sandra V. Navarra, was one of the 16 distinguished speakers.  She enlightened the audience with anti-BAFF therapy for lupus, and one of the discussants in the Challenge the Professors session.  There were 9 Filipino delegates, including 3 rheumatology fellows:  Drs. Ma. Rica Salgado, Marian Esther Galdones, and Sorrah Fiel Briones.  The fellows had worked overtime in coming up with 2 posters entitled:  Clinical Profile and Outcomes of Filipino Lupus Patients with End Stage Renal Disease and Reasons for Hospitalization of Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.  They also had 2 cases for oral presentation in the “Challenge the Professors” entitled:  Deep Venous Thrombosis in SLE with Antiphospholipid Antibodies and Digital Gangrene and Renal Failure in SLE following a Febrile Episode and Hypotension, which enabled exchange of clinical practices of experts across the world.

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a very demanding disease. It needs continuous monitoring in order to prevent flare-ups or complications.  Rheumatology OPD clinics has been rescheduled, from Saturdays to weekdays. Rheumatologists feel that this would lessen compliance and follow-ups on the part of the patients. Thus, the Section of Rheumatology, Clinical Immunology and Osteoporosis and the Lupus Inspired Advocacy (LUISA) organized a once-a-month free "LUPUS CLINICS" for patients, especially for indigent ones. Aside from clinical consultations with rheumatologists, they held a group sharing and discussion among the patients and caregivers.

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