What are Lupus Subsets?
Lupus subsets aren’t different kinds of lupus but different groupings of symptoms. One example would be CNS Lupus: this is still SLE, just as lupus which primarily manifests in the kidney is SLE and lupus which primarily manifests in the joints is SLE. It has been recognized that with lupus, the involvement will be much more concentrated in one area than another (in general). Specific areas of involvement present their own special problems and often require specialized tests and treatments. This being the case, they are now often referred to as ‘lupus subsets’. DLE is not a subset but a different kind of lupus altogether, as is DILE. The expression, or subset, is simply a means of classification. There are certain genes and autoantibodies which are extremely common in certain subsets but not others. One example of this would be anti-Ro (SSA), which is very common in people with ANA-negative lupus and those with Secondary Sjögren’s.
