Conditions
Systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus or SLE)
A long-term autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks healthy tissue. It can affect the skin, joints, blood, kidneys and other organs.
About Lupus (SLE)
Systemic lupus erythematosus, often called lupus or SLE, is a long-term autoimmune disease. In lupus, the immune system attacks the body's own healthy cells and tissues. It can affect many parts of the body, including the skin, joints, blood, kidneys, heart, lungs and brain. Symptoms often come and go.
A rheumatologist, a doctor who treats immune and joint diseases, usually makes the diagnosis and leads care, often with other specialists. Common tests include an ANA blood test, other antibody tests such as anti-dsDNA and anti-Smith, complement levels (C3 and C4), blood counts and urine tests. Some people also need a skin or kidney biopsy, or a scan of the chest or heart.
Doctors may also look at published classification criteria, which were written to group patients for research studies. A diagnosis is a clinician's judgment, not a checklist. Before a visit, it can help to record when each symptom started and how often it comes back, photos of rashes, mouth sores or hair loss, fevers you measured, and copies of past test reports.
Who usually evaluates it: Usually a rheumatologist, a doctor who treats immune and joint diseases, often working with other specialists such as skin and kidney doctors.
What you can record in Selihc Health
- Rashes, mouth sores and hair loss, with photos
- Fevers, with the temperature you measured
- Swollen or stiff joints, and when each symptom started
- Past blood and urine test results, and reports from biopsies or scans
What only a clinician can do
- A physical exam of the skin, mouth and joints
- Ordering and reading antibody, blood and urine tests
- Biopsies and scans, and checking for other causes of each symptom
In an emergency
Call 911 right away for chest pain, pressure or tightness; trouble breathing, or coughing up blood; sudden weakness or numbness in the face, an arm or a leg; sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or a sudden, very bad headache; sudden trouble seeing, walking or keeping your balance; a seizure that lasts more than 5 minutes, a first seizure, or trouble breathing or waking up after a seizure; or fainting with no waking up within a minute. If you are thinking about hurting yourself, call or text 988 any time. If you are in danger now, call 911. This list does not cover every emergency. If something feels seriously wrong, call 911.
Go to an emergency room or call 911 for a high fever, or a fever with shaking chills; very bad belly pain, or vomiting with a swollen or sore belly; very little or no urine, or urine that is very dark or bloody; or new bleeding or bruising that is much easier than usual, such as bleeding gums, nosebleeds or tiny red spots on the skin. Get care the same day (call your clinician or go to urgent care) for new swelling, pain, warmth or redness in one leg or arm.
The published criteria
Your summary organizes your records against these sources, for your clinician to review. What clinicians see
Systemic lupus erythematosus: 2019 EULAR/ACR classification criteria
Aringer M, Costenbader K, Daikh D, et al. 2019 European League Against Rheumatism/American College of Rheumatology classification criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2019;71(9):1400-1412. doi:10.1002/art.40930
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This page is general information written for patients, not medical advice. Content is a draft awaiting clinical review.
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