How is lupus diagnosed?
Lupus is difficult to diagnosis and often patients are incorrectly diagnosed with the condition purely based on a positive antinuclear antibody (ANA) test. Although the ANA is present in virtually all patients with lupus, this test has a high rate of false-positivity and it is not highly specific for the disease. Up to 10% of individuals from a healthy population will test positive and it can be seen in other conditions including infections, thyroid diseases, drug reactions, liver diseases, and malignancies. The diagnosis of lupus cannot be based solely on a positive ANA. It is made through a combination of clinical symptoms, past medical history, physical exam findings, and further laboratory testing. All patients suspected of lupus should be evaluated by a rheumatologist. Individuals with known disease should be monitored by a rheumatologist on a regular basis.
