Lupus: Criteria for Diagnosis
Topic 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.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
References
Citations
- Hahn BH (2008). Systemic lupus erythematosus. In AS Fauci et al., eds., Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 17th ed., vol. 2, pp. 2075–2083. New York: McGraw-Hill Medical.
Credits
| By | Healthwise Staff |
|---|
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine |
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| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Nancy Ann Shadick, MD, MPH - Internal Medicine, Rheumatology |
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| Last Revised | May 10, 2012 |
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Last Revised:
May 10, 2012
Hahn BH (2008). Systemic lupus erythematosus. In AS Fauci et al., eds., Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 17th ed., vol. 2, pp. 2075–2083. New York: McGraw-Hill Medical.
