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					| Lupus: Criteria for Diagnosis
		
			| Lupus: Criteria for DiagnosisSkip to the navigationTopic 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 cheeksRash
		  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 painlessJoint 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 castsNervous system problems, such as
		  seizures or
		  psychosis, without known causeProblems
		  with the blood, such as reduced numbers of red blood cells (anemia), platelets, or white blood
		  cellsLaboratory tests showing increased
		  autoimmune activity (antibodies against normal
		  tissue)Positive antinuclear antibody (ANA) test 
ReferencesCitationsCrow MK (2016). Systemic lupus erythematosus. In L Goldman, A Shafer, eds., Goldman-Cecil Medicine, 24th ed., vol. 2, pp. 1769-1777. Philadelphia: Saunders.
CreditsByHealthwise StaffPrimary Medical ReviewerAnne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine
 Martin J. Gabica, MD - Family Medicine
 E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
 Specialist Medical ReviewerNancy Ann Shadick, MD, MPH - Internal Medicine, Rheumatology
Current as ofOctober 31, 2016Current as of:
                October 31, 2016Crow MK (2016). Systemic lupus erythematosus. In L Goldman, A Shafer, eds., Goldman-Cecil Medicine, 24th ed., vol. 2, pp. 1769-1777. Philadelphia: Saunders. Last modified on: 8 September 2017  |  |  |  |  |  |