Don’t Miss Lupus

Chapter for Lupus Book Systemic lupus erythematosus is a well-recognized multi-system disease. Hallmarks of the disorder include the prevalence of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and double stranded antibodies (DNA). The disease often presents with lupus rashes and/or arthritis or arthralgias. Lupus is “the great imitator,” as no organ system is excluded, when diagnosing and treating a lupus patient. While lupus remains evasive in novel therapies with true benefit; one issue has been consistent, in that the preponderance of the evidence thus far, leads to B cell dysfunction. More recently Belimumab was indicated for use in lupus patients. This is a BLyS-Specific inhibitor (B lymphocyte stimulator) medication. At this time, I would like to focus on lupus in a manner that you are not used to hearing. Typically, any practitioner who approaches a patient with a plethora of symptoms, would order blood tests, and conclude a diagnosis of lupus. In this chapter, I will point out and focus on the need to think “outside the box” and perhaps consider lupus as simply one of various other scenarios.