Describe the disease, its prevalence, its incidence and general knowledge of the disease. Discuss the laboratory testing that can be done.

Lupus is an autoimmune disease that affects 1.5 million people in the United States, with women being more likely to be diagnosed than men. It is characterized by inflammation and damage to various organs throughout the body which can lead to a wide range of symptoms including fatigue, joint pain and skin rashes. Diagnosis is based on a combination of clinical presentation as well as laboratory testing.

The most common laboratory tests used for diagnosing lupus are antinuclear antibody (ANA) test, anti-double stranded DNA (dsDNA) test and complement levels. ANA testing looks for autoantibodies that target components of the patient’s own cells while dsDNA tests detect antibodies directed against double stranded DNA molecules associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Complement levels are also helpful in confirming diagnosis since they provide information about any deficiencies or abnormalities present in the patient’s immune system.

Overall, these tests help determine if symptoms experienced by the patient are due to lupus or other conditions while ruling out potential causes such as infections or drug reactions. They also help inform prognosis so that appropriate treatment plans can be developed in order to manage symptoms and reduce recurrence of flare ups.