VISION
To deepen the understanding of different aspects of LUPUS, with special emphasis in epidemiological issues; and to develop strategies in order to face future challenges posed by SLE in Latin America.
To actively participate in education of general physicians and rheumatologists and to research aspcects of SLE in the search for better treatments for patients in Latin America, particularly those more effective and economically feasible in a region where poverty and other health issues should be a priority for health authorities.
MISSION
To educate physicians, patients and the general population regarding SLE.
To stimulate awareness and knowledge of SLE in Latin America through a network of GLADEL centers.
To develop strategies that allow for a fluid communication with and between regional (State-Country), Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO-PANLAR) and with the lay community; in order to show the breach between the treatments currently available, those offered in the real scenarios, and ways to close this breach.
VALUES
Commitment, Excellence, Belonging, Innovation, Initiative, Team Work, Ethics and Integrity.
PRINCIPLES
GLADEL is an organization characterized by its commitment towards its goals, permanent search of excellence and sense of belonging to the group and its values, and the constant desire to innovate in our field of action through appropriate initiatives.
Our group also highly regards: teamwork, ethics and integrity in all our activities.
OBJECTIVES
Initial Objectives
In 1997 in Latin America, there was a void in the knowledge of important aspects of SLE such as incidence, prevalence, genetics, clinical manifestations, disability and sequelae, access to care, adverse events of therapy and infectious complications of new therapies. To stimulate knowledge in many of these areas, GLADEL undertook specific areas of research.
Within the region, there are different situations concerning health problems, poverty, social exclusion and ethnicity as well as clear breaches between those with good and bad access to health care. Approaches to these differences may vary between and within countries, creating different situations for governments and other health providers; above and beyond the physicians involved in patient care. This has to be adequately addressed, and evaluated.
The interest in results of interventions with the intent of improving health care is increasing and not only in selected groups (such as clinical trials). Relevant results can only be obtained with studies on the follow up of “real life” patients.
Objectives Accomplished 1997-2020
Based on the original project and including a ten year followup, several of the original objectives have been explored and even reached. The first seminal paper was published in Medicine in 2004 with an analysis of the whole cohort (Medicine, Baltimore, 2004; 83:1-17). Issues such as influence of race, in particular characteristics of Mestizo patients with SLE, unknown to date influence in both the clinical expression of SLE and its response to treatment, etc. Lupus in males, children, familial lupus, influence of antimalarials and others have been examined and published.
