Open AccessContemporary concepts for the clinical and laboratory evaluation of systemic lupus erythematosus and “lupus‐like” syndromes
Author(s) -
Nakamura Robert M.,
Bylund David J.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
journal of clinical laboratory analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.536
H-Index - 50
eISSN - 1098-2825
pISSN - 0887-8013
DOI - 10.1002/jcla.1860080604
Subject(s) - autoantibody , immunology , medicine , systemic lupus erythematosus , lupus erythematosus , disease , autoimmune disease , systemic disease , immune system , etiology , immunopathology , antibody , pathology
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a nonorgan‐specific autoimmune disease which affects multiple organ systems and is multifactorial in etiology. SLE is the prototypic systemic rheumatic disease with immune dysregulation characterized by (1) polyclonal activation of B‐cells and (2) production of a large spectrum of autoantibodies with a marked preference for nuclear and intracellular antigens. The clinical and laboratory manifestations and criteria for classification and diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus, lupus‐like syndromes, and various subsets of systemic lupus erythematosus, are reviewed. The differential diagnosis of SLE and related diseases is described with correlation of specific intracellular autoantibodies. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.