Diagnosis of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)

by Cynthia M. Johnson, MA

En Español (Spanish Version)

SLE can be hard to diagnose because:

Symptoms are like many other health problems
There is no test
Each person with SLE may have different signs of it

Your doctor may think you have it if you have at least four of these signs:

Butterfly rash over your cheeks and nose—a key sign
Rashes that can lead to scarring
Skin that gets burned easy in the sun
Sores in the mouth
Joint swelling, pain, and warmth
Inflammation of the lining of the heart
Seizures or psychosis

Changes in the blood and kidneys may be found through:

Blood Tests

SLE can cause changes in the blood. They differ from person to person, but may be:

Having antinuclear antibodies (ANA) that attack your body's cells
Signs of inflammation
Unusual findings from a blood cell measurement
Signs of substances that are normally filtered by the kidneys

Urine Tests

You may have a change in kidney function if you have proteins, blood, or other substances in your urine.

REFERENCES:

Guidelines for referral and management of systemic lupus erythematosus in adults. American College of Rheumatology Ad Hoc Committee on Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Guidelines. Arthritis Rheum. 1999;42(9):1785-1796.

How is lupus diagnosed? Lupus Foundation of America website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL)
Accessed September 4, 2018.

Lupus. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL)
Updated June 30, 2016. Accessed August 31, 2018.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at: http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T115873/Systemic-lupus-erythematosus-SLE . Updated July 20, 2018. Accessed August 31, 2018.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Merck Manual Professional Version website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL)
Updated February 2018. Accessed August 31, 2018.

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Last reviewed May 2018 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Daniel A. Ostrovsky, MD
Last Updated: 9/4/2018

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