Description
A chronic inflammatory autoimmune disorder that may affect the skin, joints, kidneys, and other organs. The disease is thought to be due to misfiring of the body's immune system so that it attacks organs of the body. The result is chronic (long-term) inflammation that can affect many parts of the body, including arthritis, skin rash, kidney disease, brain inflammation, and heart problems.
Symptoms
Symptoms are highly variable but may include: fever, fatigue, general discomfort, skin rash (butterfly rash over the cheeks and bridge of the nose affects about half of those with SLE), sensitivity to sunlight, joint pain and swelling, swollen glands, muscle aches, nausea, chest pain with breathing, seizures, psychosis.
Tests
Common tests used for diagnosis and treatment
Workup:
A history and physical exam will be performed. Tests used to diagnose SLE may include blood tests (including an antibody called antinuclear antibody, or ANA, that is present in nearly all people with lupus), urine tests, imaging, and/or a kidney biopsy.
Tests:
Complete blood count (CBC), Comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP), Electrocardiogram (EKG), Urinalysis (UA), X-ray
Other Specific Tests: Antinuclear antibody (ANA) panel including anti-DNA and anti-Smith antibodies, kidney biopsy
Specialists:
Internal Medicine, Rheumatology, Pediatric Rheumatology
Workup:
A history and physical exam will be performed. Tests used to diagnose SLE may include blood tests (including an antibody called antinuclear antibody, or ANA, that is present in nearly all people with lupus), urine tests, imaging, and/or a kidney biopsy.
Tests:
Complete blood count (CBC), Comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP), Electrocardiogram (EKG), Urinalysis (UA), X-ray
Other Specific Tests: Antinuclear antibody (ANA) panel including anti-DNA and anti-Smith antibodies, kidney biopsy
Specialists:
Internal Medicine, Rheumatology, Pediatric Rheumatology
Treatment
There is no cure for lupus. Treatment is provided to control symptoms and is based on the severity of those symptoms. Treatment may include: nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications/NSAIDs (ibuprofen/Motrin or Advil, naproxen/Naprosyn), pain medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), corticosteroid creams, an anti-malaria drug (hydroxychloroquine), methotrexate, azathioprine and/or oral steroids. Severe or life-threatening symptoms (such as hemolytic anemia, extensive heart or lung involvement, kidney disease, or central nervous system involvement) may require high dose steroids, cytotoxic medications (such as cyclophosphamide/Cytoxan) and other drugs to inhibit the immune system.