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Lupus
Introduction: Lupus
Lupus is an autoimmune disease affecting mostly women and causing various effects throughout different parts of the body. Its severity can range from very mild to extremely serious depending on which body organs are afflicted.
Lupus is difficult to diagnose and often misdiagnosed unless there is a characteristic symptom such as the butterfly-shaped rash over the cheeks. There is no single definitive blood test for lupus and doctors have to make the diagnosis based on a variety of symptoms and diagnostic tests. Lupus is one of a group of conditions with vague symptoms such as fatigue or malaise, and may need to be distinguished from fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, Type 2 diabetes, depression, Lyme disease, multiple sclerosis, or various other conditions. If the main symptoms are joint symptoms, then various other causes of arthritis need to be considered.
Symptoms of Lupus
- Some of the most common symptoms are:
See full list of 119 symptoms of Lupus
Medical Textbooks Online about Lupus
Free access (no registration).
Book excerpts: Copyright © 2007 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.
Diagnostic Tests for Lupus
- Antinuclear antibody (ANA) test
- Anti-DNA antibody test
- Anti-Sm antibody test
- Anti-RNP antibody test
- Anti-Ro (SSA) antibody test
See full list of 15 diagnostic tests for Lupus
Wrongly Diagnosed with Lupus?
- Misdiagnosis of Lupus
- Failure to diagnose Lupus
- Underlying causes of Lupus (possibly wrongly diagnosed)
- Failure to diagnose Lupus
Misdiagnosis and Lupus
Lupus is often misdiagnosed as other conditions: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), often simply called "lupus", is a difficult disease to diagnose and can manifest with numerous symptoms. Some of the...more »
Cluster of diseases with difficult diagnosis issues: There is a well-known list of medical conditions that are all somewhat difficult to diagnose, and all can...more »
Read more about Misdiagnosis and Lupus
Causes of Lupus
Read more about causes of Lupus.
More information about causes of Lupus:
- Medications, drugs, or substances causing Lupus (14 listings)
- Lupus as a complication caused by other conditions
- Medical news summaries relating to Causes of Lupus
Treatments for Lupus
- Corticosteroids
- Corticosteroid creams
- Prednisone (Deltasone)
- Hydrocortisone
- Methylprednisolone (Medrol)
See full list of 39 treatments for Lupus
Videos for Lupus
Arthritis Overview Part 1
For most people, arthritis means simply pain in or around a joint. But there are over 100 different kinds of arthritis, each with its own set of...
Recognizing Lyme Disease
Public awareness about Lyme disease has heightened in recent years and people in high-risk areas know to look for the telltale bull's-eye rash....
Arthritis: Who's At Risk?
For most people, arthritis means simply pain in or around a joint. But there are over 100 different kinds of arthritis, each with its own set of...
Arthritis and the Weekend Warrior
For most people, arthritis means simply pain in or around a joint. But there are over 100 different kinds of arthritis, each with its own set of...
Patient Surveys for Lupus
- Patient Profile Survey
Take Survey View Results - Survey about the symptoms of your Lupus
Take Survey View Results
Prognosis for Lupus
Prognosis for Lupus: Normal lifespan possible for many patients. Remissions and relapses common. 5-year survival about 97%; 10-year survival about 90%. (NWHIC).
Reseach about Lupus
Visit our research pages for current research about Lupus treatments.
Clinical Trials for Lupus
The US based website ClinicalTrials.gov lists information on both federally and privately supported clinical trials using human volunteers.
Some of the clinical trials listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for Lupus include:
- Safety and Efficacy Study of LJP 394 (Abetimus Sodium) to Treat Lupus Kidney Disease - This study has been completed (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - Abetimus sodium (LJP 394)
- Study of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
- Study of LJP 394 in Lupus Patients With History of Renal Disease - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - abetimus sodium (LJP 394)
- Treating Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) Patients With CTLA4-IgG4m (RG2077) - This study is no longer recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - CTLA4-IgG4m (RG2077)
- TNF Blockade With Remicade in Active Lupus Nephritis WHO Class V (TRIAL ) - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - infliximab,azathioprine
See full list of 204 Clinical Trials for Lupus
Statistics for Lupus
- Medical statistics for Lupus
- Prevalence and incidence statistics for Lupus
- Death and Mortality statistics for Lupus
- Society statistics for Lupus
Types of Lupus
- Discoid lupus erythematosus
- Drug-induced lupus - caused by a particular medication.
- Neonatal lupus - affecting babies of women with lupus.
Read more about Types of Lupus
Medical Guidebooks and Ebooks for Lupus
See all guides and ebooks for Lupus
Stories from Users Related to Lupus
- Could this be lupus??? Please help.
- Does this sound like lupus?
- Recently Diagnosed with Lupus
- Lupus rash?
- One hand swollen-Lupus, Scleroderma?
- Discoid Lupus
- Lupus? Fibromyalgia? Antipsychotics??? Menopause?
- Looking for Lupus People
- Lupus ( I have finger numness)
- Lupus: Diagnosed Jan 2007! Misdiagnosed and sick for over 15 years..
- My baby has neonatal lupus
- lupus??
- I think I may have Lupus
- lupus?
- can Hep C mask Lupus
- SLE disease
- lupus or syphillis
- Hep C or Lupus
- Do I have Lupus or what else might it be?
- could it be lupus?
Related forums and stories:
User Interactive Forums
Read about other experiences, ask a question about Lupus, or answer someone else's question, on our message boards:
- I can not get a diagnosis. Please help.
- Tell us your medical story.
- Share your misdiagnosis story.
- What is the best treatment for this?
- See all the forums.
Article Excerpts about Lupus
NINDS Neurological Sequelae Of Lupus Information Page: NINDS (Excerpt)
Lupus (also called systemic lupus erythematosus or SLE) is a disorder of the immune system which normally functions to protect the body against invading infections and cancers. In lupus, the immune system is over-active and produces increased amounts of abnormal antibodies that attack the patient's own tissues. Lupus can affect many parts of the body, including the joints, skin, kidneys, lungs, heart, nervous system, and blood vessels. The signs and symptoms of lupus differ from person to person, and the disease can range from mild to life-threatening. (Source: excerpt from NINDS Neurological Sequelae Of Lupus Information Page: NINDS)
Handout on Health Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: NIAMS (Excerpt)
Lupus is a disorder of the immune system known as an autoimmune disease. In autoimmune diseases, the body harms its own healthy cells and tissues. This leads to inflammation and damage to various body tissues. Lupus can affect many parts of the body, including the joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lungs, blood vessels, and brain. (Source: excerpt from Handout on Health Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: NIAMS)
Connective Tissue Diseases: NWHIC (Excerpt)
An inflammation of the connective tissues, SLE can afflict every organ system. It is up to nine times more common in women than men and strikes black women three times as often as white women. The condition is aggravated by sunlight. (Source: excerpt from Connective Tissue Diseases: NWHIC)
Lupus Fact Sheet: NWHIC (Excerpt)
Lupus is an autoimmune disease in which the body literally attacks itself, harming its own healthy cells and tissues. It can affect the joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lungs, blood vessels, and brain, causing inflammation and damage to tissues. (Source: excerpt from Lupus Fact Sheet: NWHIC)
Wiki article about Lupus
Definitions of Lupus:
RAEB: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). an autoimmune connective tissue disease with variable features. - (Source - Diseases Database)
Any of several forms of ulcerative skin disease - (Source - WordNet 2.1)
Ophanet, a consortium of European partners,
currently defines a condition rare when it affects 1 person per 2,000.
They list Lupus as a "rare disease".
Source - Orphanet
- Lupus
- What is Lupus?
- Online Medical Textbooks for Lupus
- Prevalence and Incidence of Lupus
- Videos related to Lupus
- Prognosis of Lupus
- Types of Lupus
- Prevalence of Types of Lupus
- Causes of Lupus
- Causes in Children
- Information Guides
- Risk Factors for Lupus
- Symptoms of Lupus
- Diagnostic Tests for Lupus
- Diagnosis of Lupus
- Signs of Lupus
- Complications of Lupus
- Misdiagnosis of Lupus
- Undiagnosed Lupus
- Misdiagnosis of Underlying Causes of Lupus
- Misdiagnosis of Medication Causes of Lupus
- Associated Conditions of Lupus
- Treatments for Lupus
- Alternative Treatments for Lupus
- Doctors and Medical Specialists for Lupus
- Prevention of Lupus
- Cure Research for Lupus
- Deaths from Lupus
- Statistics about Lupus
- Statistics by Country for Lupus
- Medical News Summaries About Lupus
- Hospital Statistics for Lupus
- Books about Lupus
- Articles about Lupus
- Glossary for Lupus
- Clinical Trials for Lupus
- Images relating to Lupus
- External links relating to Lupus
- Wiki Article
- Butterfly rash (Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition))
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Criteria* (A Pocket Manual of Differential Diagnosis)
- Lupus erythematosus (Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))
- Butterfly rash (Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition))
- Lupus erythematosus (Handbook of Diseases)
- Butterfly rash (Signs & Symptoms: A 2-in-1 Reference for Nurses)
- Butterfly rash (Nursing: Interpreting Signs and Symptoms)
» Next page: What is Lupus?
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