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Lupus Symptoms
Some researchers estimate that 50,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. But because its symptoms resemble those of more than 20 other diseases, it is a difficult illness to recognize. The American Rheumatism Association has published a list of 14 criteria, four of which must be present to document a diagnosis.*
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Facial reddening. The most familiar kind is the so-called butterfly rash which crosses the bridge of the nose and expands outward on the cheeks.
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A scaling, scarring rash, particularly on the face, shoulders and arms.
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Sensitivity to sunlight
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Loss of hair
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Raynaud’s
phenonenom: fingers or toes change color on exposure to cold-first to white, then bluish, then to a reddish discoloration.
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Ulcers in the nose, mouth or vagina.
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Arthritis without severe deformity.
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The presence of white blood cells that engulf the nuclei or other damaged white blood cells.
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False-positive reactions to Wasserman test for syphilis.
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Albumin in the urine.
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Pleurisy (inflammation of the lining of the lung) or pericarditis (inflammation of the heart lining).
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Psychosis or convulsions.
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Hemolytic anemia (breakdown of the blood cells), leukopenia (lowering of the white blood cell count), or thrombocytopenia (lowering of the blood platelet count).
*The list is not foolproof. The association says that in practice some patients have fewer that four criteria. In others who show four or five criteria, the diagnosis cannot be made with certainty. More information is available from the Lupus Foundation of America, Connecticut Chapter, Inc.
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