Lupus mimickers

Abstract

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by multisystem organ involvement, heterogeneity of clinical features, and variety in degree of severity. The differential diagnosis is a crucial aspect in SLE as many other autoimmune diseases portray clinical similarities and autoantibody positivity. Lupus mimickers refer to a group of conditions that exhibit both clinical features and laboratory characteristics, including autoantibody profiles that resemble those present in patients with SLE, and prompt a diagnostic challenge in everyday clinical practice. Thus, lupus mimickers may present as a lupus-like condition (i.e., 2 or 3 criteria) or as one meeting the classification criteria for SLE. Herein we review and classify the current literature on lupus mimickers based on diverse etiologies which include infections, malign and benign neoplasms, medications, and vaccine-related reactions.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in Primary Care: An Update and Practical Messages for the General Practitioner

“…Differential diagnosis is important in lupus diagnostics since many other autoimmune diseases present clinical similarities (including ANA positive tests) such as autoimmune hepatitis, dermatomyositis, inflammatory myopathies, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, primary biliary cirrhosis, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren's syndrome and systemic sclerosis ( 85 ). Lupus mimickers refer to a group of conditions that exhibit clinical and laboratory features resembling SLE and include infections, neoplasms and medications ( 85 ). The most frequent entity reported as a lupus mimicker is viral infection especially from parvo virus.…”

The role of imaging in the evaluation of joint involvement in 102 consecutive patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

“…Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex and heterogeneous disease characterized by a wide variety of clinical and serological manifestations; among these, involvement i is common, and is reported in up to 90% of patients during the disease course [1][2][3][4][5][6]. While for decades joint involvement in SLE has been considered mild and nonerosive, many studies have recently showed that patients with SLE develop joint deformities and, in up to 10% of the cases, an erosive deforming arthritis [7][8][9].…”

All that glitters is not lupus

“…Among the infectious causes that can mimic SLE, viruses are the most frequently reported (with parvovirus B19 and Epstein–Barr virus leading the list). 1 The infection in our case was due to a bacterium from the HACEK group, which has not previously been reported as a SLE mimicker. Clinical manifestations suggesting an autoimmune disease can appear in 25–42% patients with infective endocarditis, and may include arthritis, muscle and joint pain, sacroiliitis, leukocytoclastic cutaneous vasculitis and glomerulonephritis.…”