Lupus

Lupus is thought to develop when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own tissues and mainly affects females of potential child bearing age.

• The immune system (our defence system) attacks many different parts of the body, including the joints, skin, kidney, nervous system (brain, spinal cord and nerves), blood, heart, lungs, digestive system and eyes, causing inflammation and tissue damage.

Harvard Health Publications 

• This condition can cause ‘Flare up’ for unknown reasons and cause symptoms.
• This condition can be referred as Systemic lupus erythematosus, or SLE

There other types of Lupus:

• Cutaneous lupus– lupus that occurs on the skin
• Drug induced lupus – medication that causes lupus type symptoms (this can be reversed when medication causing the symptoms are stopped, it can take up to six months to resolve).
• Neonatal lupus is a rare form of temporary lupus affecting a fetus or newborn.

Diagnosis test

Example of blood test results include:

• Red blood cell count (RBC): Long term inflammation can cause a low red blood cell count.
• White blood cell count (WBC): An elevated white blood cell count suggests the possibility of an active infection. Patients taking corticosteroids (for inflammation) may have an elevated WBC due to the medication.
• Haemoglobin and haematocrit: Low haemoglobin and haematocrit may be indicative of anaemia caused by long term diseases or possible bleeding caused by medications
  • Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
  • Corticosteroids
• Platelet count: The platelet count is often high in arthritis patients, while some potent/strong arthritis medications can cause platelets to be low.

Protein and Antibody Tests

• Antinuclear antibodies (ANA): Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) are abnormal autoantibodies (immunoglobulins against nuclear components of the human cell). Moderate to high antinuclear antibody levels are suggestive of autoimmune disease. Positive antinuclear antibody tests are seen in more than 95% of systemic lupus erythematosus patient.
• C-reactive protein (CRP): C-reactive protein is produced by the liver following tissue injury or inflammation. Plasma levels of CRP increase quickly following periods of acute inflammation or infection, making this test a more accurate indicator of disease activity than the sedimentation rate, which changes more gradually.
• HLA tissue typing: Human leukocyte antigens (HLA) are proteins on the surface of cells. Specific HLA proteins are genetic markers for some of the rheumatic diseases. Testing can determine if certain genetic makers are present.
• Erythrocyte sedimentation rate:- the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is a nonspecific indicator of the presence of inflammation.
• Uric acid:  High levels of uric acid in the blood (known as hyperuricemia) can cause crystals to form which are deposited in the joints and tissues (gout).
• Please follow the following link to help to diagnose this condition  2010 ACR/EULAR classification criteria