An analysis of data from the LUMINA database of SLE patients by the team of US academic R Willis found that hydroxychloroquine reduced the inflammatory response and type I interferon levels in SLE patients and controlled disease activity. In total, there were more than 600 patients with SLE. The investigators collected serum samples from 35 SLE patients and compared them with sera from 32 healthy volunteers to test relevant indicators before and after hydroxychloroquine treatment. Disease activity was assessed using SLAM-R and the levels of various pro-inflammatory factors such as IFN-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IP-10, soluble CD40 ligand and TNF-α were monitored. The results showed that the levels of IL-6, IP-10, soluble CD40 ligand, TNF-α and IFN-α were significantly higher in SLE patients than in healthy volunteers. there was a moderate positive trend of correlation between baseline SLAM-R scores and IFN-α levels in SLE patients (p=0.0546). Hydroxychloroquine treatment was effective in reducing SLAM-R scores (p=0.0157) and the reduction in SLAM-R scores was significantly correlated with the reduction in IFN-α levels (p=0.0087). This study reaffirms the benefits of hydroxychloroquine in SLE patients, after the data from LUMINA in 2007, and suggests that inhibition of endogenous TLR activation is important in the management of SLE, and that hydroxychloroquine is effective in this regard. In addition, this study also confirmed that type I interferon is also involved in promoting SLE pathogenesis to some extent.