SLE Flashcards
How many of the 12 criteria must you have to be diagnosed with SLE?
4
What skin disorders are associated with SLE?
Malar rash/butterfly rash, discoid rash, photosensitivity
What rheumatologic disorder is associated with SLE?
Non-erosive arthritis
What respiratory and CV disorders are associated with SLE?
Serositis: pleuritis and pericarditis
What causes symptoms of SLE?
Autoimmunity results in antibody complexes depositing on organs, causing antibody-mediated damage against DNA/RNA complexes
What neurologic disorders are associated with SLE?
Seizures, psychosis
What renal disorders are associated with SLE?
Persistent proteinuria, cellular casts
What hematologic disorders are associated with SLE?
hemolytic anemia, leukopenia, lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia
How are anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) detected?
Serum from a patient is added to slides coated with proliferating Hep-2 cells and fluorescently labeled anti-human antibodies are then added; a nuclear pattern of staining represents a positive test
What mechanism of autoimmune injury is thought to contribute to lupus nephritis?
Immune complexes accumulate in glomeruli of kidney and result in cellular proliferation and inflammatory infiltration
Does SLE affect females or males more?
Females
What do estrogen and estradiol do that results in SLE affecting females more?
Estrogen - stimulates T cells, B cells, macrophages
Estradiol - reduces apoptosis of self-reactive B cells
What auto-antibodies are seen in patients with SLE?
ANA- anti-nuclear antibody
Anti-DNA antibody - generates false negatives
Anti-Smith antigen
Antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL ab) - generates false positives (confirmed by Treponema)
What auto-antibody are all SLE patients positive for?
ANA - anti-nuclear antibody
What organism is used for monitoring anti-DNA antibody?
Crithida luciliae
