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Lupus
(systemic
lupus erythematosus, or SLE) can be hard to recognize, sometimes taking weeks
to years to diagnose. Lupus affects different people in different ways, and
it can take time to develop the symptoms that suggest this disease.
These
criterias are used to separate lupus from other similar diseases. A person
with 4 of these 11 conditions will likely be diagnosed with lupus.
If you have more than 4, Please see a (rheumatologist).
- 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
ulcers, usually painless
- Joint swelling,
stiffness, pain involving 2 or more joints (arthritis)
- Inflammation of the
membranes surrounding the lungs (pleuritis) or heart (pericarditis)
- Abnormalities in
urine (test results show increased protein in the urine or clumps of red
blood cells or kidney cells, called cell casts, in the urine)
- 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
- Positive
antinuclear antibody (ANA) test. An ANA test by itself cannot be used to
diagnose lupus. Along with your history, physical, and possibly other
tests, an ANA test can help confirm a lupus diagnosis. (There are many
other conditions that can cause positive ANA results.)
- Laboratory tests
indicating increased autoimmune activity
If you think you may have Lupus, please see your
doctor. Each minute is critical and important for early treatment. Often, it
takes several separate tests to confirm Lupus and the antibodies that point
to it.
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