Symptoms & Signs
- Blurred vision
- Fever
- General ill feeling (malaise)
- Joint pain
- Joint swelling
- Loss of appetite
- Pleuritic chest pain
- Skin rash
- Gets worse with sunlight
- “Butterfly” rash across bridge of nose and cheeks
- Weight loss
Diagnosis & Tests
The health care provider will listen to your chest with a stethoscope. The doctor may hear a sound called a heart friction rub or pleural friction rub. There may be signs of pericarditis.
A skin exam shows a rash.
Tests that may be done include:
- Antihistone antibody
- Antinuclear antibody (ANA) panel
- Lupus erythematosus cell test (rarely used)
A chest x-ray may show signs of pleuritis or pericarditis. An ECG may show that the heart is affected.
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Drug-induced lupus erythematosus : Symptoms & Signs, Diagnosis & Tests
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Drug-induced lupus erythematosus : Treatment
Review Date : 5/31/2009
Reviewed By : Mark James Borigini, Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
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