A major emphasis of Li Su’s research is on the modelling of disease progression, with a particular focus on rheumatological disease. For both psoriatic arthritis, which is an autoimmune arthritis associated with psoriasis, and for systemic lupus erythematosus, models have been developed to link the variable pattern of potentially reversible disease symptoms to permanent damage. For example, in psoriatic arthritis, an analysis of data on single joints established a plausible causal link between swollen and painful joints and subsequent permanent joint deformities. In addition, novel statistical methodology was developed to model episodes of disease remission and the factors that influence these.

An international collaboration has led to comprehensive modelling of neuropsychiatric and renal manifestations in lupus patients which has led to a much better understanding of this feature of the disease. Information on patterns of neuropsychiatric lupus and predictors of these have been provided as well as information on the impact of these and other features of this disease on patients’ quality of life.
Note: Li Su is part of Vern Farewell’s group from the BSU’s COLD: Methods for the Analysis of Complex Observational and Longitudinal Data theme.

Related references:

COLD: Methods for the Analysis of Complex Observational and Longitudinal Data
Centre for Prognosis in Rheumatic Diseases (Canada)