Systemic lupus erythematosus clinical presentation

Zamora MR, Warner ML, Tuder R, et al. Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage and systemic lupus erythematosus. Clinical presentation, histology, survival, and outcome. Medicine (Baltimore) 1997 76 192 202. 

Clinical Use. Azathioprine (Imuran) is a cytotoxic agent that is structurally and functionally similar to certain anticancer drugs, such as mercaptopurine.22,30 Azathioprine is primarily used to prevent the rejection of transplanted organs, especially in patients with kidney transplants. Azathioprine may also be used to suppress immune responses in a wide range of other conditions, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, dermatomyositis, inflammatory myopathy, hepatic disease, myasthenia gravis, and ulcerative colitis. As presented in Chapter 16, azathioprine is also used as an antiarthritic disease-modifying agent. 

Typically, serum and synovial fluid from patients contain rheumatoid factors (>80% of patients) although serum rheumatoid factors are found in other autoimmune disorders affecting connective tissues, and in some chronic infections. The presence of small joint involvement along with the presence of rheumatoid factors is usually taken as diagnostic, however other disorders, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, need to be eliminated by clinical presentation and associated laboratory observations. 

The proposed classification is based on 11 criteria. For the purpose of identifying patients in clinical studies, a person shall be said to have systemic lupus erythematosus if any 4 or more of the 11 criteria are present, serially or simultaneously, during any interval of observation. 

Lahita, R. (1999) The Clinical Presentation of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (Lahita, R., Ed.), pp. 325-336 Academic Press, San Diego. 

Manifestations in the skin are nearly as common as those involving the musculoskeletal system. " The most well known of these is the butterfly rash, which occurs over the bridge of the nose and the malar eminences. The classic butterfly rash is seen in approximately one-half of patients and often is observed after sun exposure. In fact, photosensitivity is common to many SLE patients who present with cutaneous manifestations. Skin lesions characteristic of discoid lupus occur in 10% to 20% of patients with SLE and may occur without other clinical or serologic evidence of lupus. Some individuals are said to develop subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus, the nature of whose lesions falls between discoid (one type of chronic... 

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