Diagnosis and Tests
Complete Blood Count (CBC) Tests and Lupus
A complete blood count (CBC) can give you and your lupus treatment team a...
C-Reactive Protein Complement Test and Lupus
C-Reactive protein including C3, C4, and CH50 are heavily involved in immune system function...
Blood Tests for Diagnosing and Measuring Lupus
Blood tests are a critical part of detecting and measuring lupus. Even though currently available blood tests don't offer certainty, new biomarker-based options may provide deeper insights. When you get a blood test, a small sample of blood is taken from a vein...
Why Doctors Misdiagnose Lupus (& What You Can Do!)
It's common for clinicians to misdiagnose lupus or suggest that symptoms are a result of stress. 68% of Lupus Warriors had to see 3 or more doctors before being diagnosed. All types of lupus including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE),
B-Cell Activating Factor (BAFF) & Lupus
New tests are helping identify specific proteins linked to autoimmune diseases. A 2018 study found B-cell activating factor (BAFF) in the urine of people with lupus. Diagnosing lupus and lupus nephritis is a challenging process. Today, rheumatologists rely on a combination of laboratory tests, symptom...
ANA Tests and Lupus
ANA tests identify autoantibodies in the body. And, they are one of the tools that clinicians use to help diagnose lupus. Rheumatologists review laboratory tests, symptom logs, and family history before making a lupus diagnosis. This can be a long and challenging process....
Measuring Lupus Disease Activity Over Time
Some say that the only thing constant is change. This can feel especially true for Lupus Warriors. Despite the value of tracking disease activity, measuring lupus disease activity remains a challenge. Accurate, reliable measurements of disease activity are a crucial element of healthcare and research. Identifying changes in lupus disease...
Lupus Diagnosis: Connecting the Dots
Known as "The Great Imitator," getting a lupus diagnosis can be frustrating. It involves reviewing laboratory tests, symptoms, and family history When you're not feeling well, you want to know what the cause is. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for the lupus diasgnosis process to take months or years...
Type I Interferon & the Lupus TULIP Study
Living with lupus can mean feeling like your own body is working against you. Recent research into new treatments is exploring the effectiveness of type I interferons, a specific type of cytokine, for lupus relief. On August 31, 2018, AstraZeneca and MedImmune shared via
Share Your Story: Sandra’s Diagnosis
Welcome to Share Your Story -- Where Lupus Warriors tell their own stories, in their own words. Editor's note: Share Your Story is a new segment where anyone can write personal pieces that will be published anonymously on LupusCorner. If you are interested in contributing to Share Your Story, please send...
Lupus Nephritis: 6 Classes of Kidney Disease
Caused by systemic lupus erythematosus, lupus nephritis is a serious, and relatively common, kidney disorder. In September, Selena Gomez shared with her fans via Instagram that she had received a kidney transplant due to complications of lupus. The two kidneys are the primary members of the renal system in the...