Diagnosis of SLE

SLE may be hard to diagnose and is often mistaken for other diseases. For this reason, lupus has often been called the "great imitator." No single test can tell if a person has lupus. There are many ways to diagnose SLE:

1. Medical history. Give your health care provider (HCP) a complete, accurate medical history. This information, along with a physical exam and special tests, helps your HCP rule out other diseases that can be confused with lupus.

2. Symptoms. Having 4 (or more) of the 11 symptoms of lupus, as defined by the American College of Rheumatology. For a list of these symptoms, go to www.rheumatology.org/research/classification/sle.html

3. Lab tests. The Antinuclear antibody (ANA) test is a commonly used test. An antibody is a chemical the body makes to fight off infections. The test looks for the strength of your antibodies. Most people with lupus test positive for ANA. However, other health problems, like malaria (a disease from a mosquito bite), can also give you a positive test. That's why other tests may be needed.