Table 1 Key clinical questions

1. Who are the targeted population?

2. What are the definitions of mild, moderate and severe lupus? (assessment of disease activity and severity)

3. What are the treatment targets?

4. How should SLE patients be monitored in the non-acute setting?

5. What is the frequency of monitoring lupus/follow-up visits?

6. What are the non-pharmacological and preventive interventions?

7. What is the evidence for the management of mild SLE?

8. What is the evidence for the management of moderate SLE?

9. What is the evidence for the management of severe SLE?

10. What are the recommendations for management of acute emergencies in patients with SLE (severe neurologic involvement, systemic vasculitis, profound thrombocytopenia with a thrombotic thrombocytopenia (TTP)–like syndrome, rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis, Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage)

11. What are the recommendations for Specific organ system involvement in SLE?

12. What are the recommendations for treating the associated comorbid conditions?

13. What are the prognostic markers?

14. What are the recommendations for the management of refractory patients?