lupus: criteria for diagnosis
overview
the following criteria are used to distinguish lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus, or sle) from other autoimmune and rheumatic diseases.
a person with 4 of these 11 conditions can be classified as having lupus. these conditions may be present all at once, or they may appear in succession over a period of time.footnote 1
- butterfly (malar) rash on cheeks
- rash on face, arms, neck, torso (discoid rash)
- skin rashes that result from exposure to sunlight or ultraviolet light (photosensitivity)
- mouth or nasal sores (ulcers), usually painless
- joint swelling, stiffness, pain involving two or more joints (arthritis)
- inflammation of the membranes surrounding the lungs (pleuritis) or heart (pericarditis)
- abnormalities in urine, such as increased protein or clumps of red blood cells or kidney cells, called cell casts
- nervous system problems, such as seizures or psychosis, without known cause
- problems with the blood, such as reduced numbers of red blood cells (anemia), platelets, or white blood cells
- laboratory tests showing increased autoimmune activity (antibodies against normal tissue)
- positive antinuclear antibody (ana) test
credits
current as of: july 10, 2023
author: healthwise staff
clinical review board
all healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.
current as of: july 10, 2023
author: healthwise staff
clinical review board
all healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.
crow mk (2016). systemic lupus erythematosus. in l goldman, a shafer, eds., goldman-cecil medicine, 24th ed., vol. 2, pp. 1769–1777. philadelphia: saunders.