Effects of antimalarials in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) graded according to the quality of evidence7
| Quality of evidence | AM |
| High: | |
| Reduction of SLE activity (also in pregnancy) | CQ/HCQ |
| Reduction of mortality | CQ/HCQ |
| Moderate: | |
| Increase in BMD | HCQ |
| Protective effect on thrombotic events | CQ/HCQ |
| Protective effect on irreversible organ damage | HCQ |
| Low: | |
| Reduction of severe flares | HCQ |
| Adjuvant effect for achieving LN remission | HCQ |
| Beneficial effect on serum lipid levels | CQ/HCQ |
| Protective effect on osteonecrosis | HCQ |
| Delaying the evolution to SLE | HCQ |
| Protective effect on cancer | CQ/HCQ |
| Very low: | |
| Reduction of 1–25 (OH)2 vitamin D levels | HCQ |
| Reduction of atherosclerosis | CQ/HCQ |
AM, antimalarial; BMD, bone mineral density; CQ, chloroquine; HCQ, hydroxychloroquine; LN, lupus nephritis.