Lupus Symptoms and Diagnosis

Symptoms

• ** Constitutional symptoms **:
  • Fatigue
  • Fever
  • Weight loss
• Skin symptoms:
  • Butterfly-shaped rash on the face (malar rash)
  • Rashes on the arms, legs, and body
  • Skin lesions
  • Photosensitivity
• Joint symptoms:
  • Joint pain and swelling
  • Arthritis
• Neurological symptoms:
  • Headaches
  • Seizures
  • Psychosis
  • Cognitive impairment
• Other symptoms:
  • Hair loss
  • Mouth sores
  • Swollen lymph nodes

Diagnosis

• Diagnostic criteria:
  • American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria
  • Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) criteria
• Laboratory tests:
  • Complete blood count (CBC)
  • Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
  • Antinuclear antibody (ANA) test
  • Anti-double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) antibody test
  • Anti-Smith (anti-Sm) antibody test
• Imaging tests:
  • X-rays
  • Ultrasound
  • MRI

Treatment Options

• Medications:
  • Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
  • Corticosteroids
  • Immunosuppressive drugs
  • Antimalarials
  • Biologics
• Lifestyle modifications:
  • Sun protection
  • Regular exercise
  • Stress management
  • Healthy diet
• Alternative therapies:
  • Acupuncture
  • Massage therapy
  • Yoga

Causes And Risk Factors

• Genetic factors:
  • Family history
  • Genetic mutations
• Environmental factors:
  • UV light exposure
  • Smoking
  • Hormonal changes
  • Infections
• Immune system dysfunction:
  • Abnormal immune response
  • Autoantibody production
• Demographic factors:
  • Female gender
  • African American or Hispanic ethnicity
  • Age (15-45 years)

Lupus Nephritis

• Definition:
  • Inflammation of the kidneys due to SLE
• Symptoms:
  • Hematuria (blood in the urine)
  • Proteinuria (excess protein in the urine)
  • Edema
  • Hypertension
• Diagnosis:
  • Urinalysis
  • Kidney biopsy
• Treatment:
  • Corticosteroids
  • Immunosuppressive drugs
  • Blood pressure control
  • Dialysis or kidney transplantation in severe cases

Symptoms

• Constitutional symptoms include fatigue, fever, and weight loss
• Skin symptoms include butterfly-shaped rash on the face, rashes on arms, legs, and body, skin lesions, and photosensitivity
• Joint symptoms include joint pain and swelling, and arthritis
• Neurological symptoms include headaches, seizures, psychosis, and cognitive impairment
• Other symptoms include hair loss, mouth sores, and swollen lymph nodes

Diagnosis

• Diagnostic criteria include ACR and SLICC criteria
• Laboratory tests include CBC, ESR, ANA, anti-dsDNA, and anti-Sm tests
• Imaging tests include X-rays, ultrasound, and MRI

Treatment Options

• Medications include NSAIDs, corticosteroids, immunosuppressive drugs, antimalarials, and biologics
• Lifestyle modifications include sun protection, regular exercise, stress management, and a healthy diet
• Alternative therapies include acupuncture, massage therapy, and yoga

Causes And Risk Factors

• Genetic factors include family history and genetic mutations
• Environmental factors include UV light exposure, smoking, hormonal changes, and infections
• Immune system dysfunction includes abnormal immune response and autoantibody production
• Demographic factors include female gender, African American or Hispanic ethnicity, and age between 15-45 years

Lupus Nephritis

• Definition: Inflammation of the kidneys due to SLE
• Symptoms include hematuria, proteinuria, edema, and hypertension
• Diagnosis involves urinalysis and kidney biopsy
• Treatment includes corticosteroids, immunosuppressive drugs, blood pressure control, and dialysis or kidney transplantation in severe cases