Diagnosing Lupus

Prognosis, Special Populations, and Health Care Disparities

March 10, 2026

Lupus is a complex autoimmune condition which can affect different groups of people in different ways. This makes it crucial to understand how prognosis, special populations, and health care disparities influence disease outcomes. The chapter “Prognosis, Special Populations, and Health …

Lupus Lab Tests Explained: What Blood Tests Mean for Diagnosing and Monitoring Lupus

December 21, 2025

Understanding your lupus lab tests when you have lupus can be overwhelming. Labs such as ANA, anti-dsDNA, and complement levels are essential for diagnosing lupus, measuring disease activity, and guiding treatment decisions. Most patients can now view their lab results …

Blood test for creatine phosphokinase (CPK)

Lupus and Creatine Phosphokinase

January 8, 2025

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), commonly known as lupus, is a complex autoimmune disease that can affect multiple systems in the body. One of the lesser-discussed but critical aspects of lupus is its impact on creatine phosphokinase (CPK) levels, which can …

Symptoms of Lupus in Men [March 2025 Update]

July 3, 2024

While lupus is more common in women, 10% of lupus patients are men. Understanding the symptoms of lupus in men is important. This article explores the unique manifestations of lupus in men, how it differs from women, and the …

Understanding the Lupus Coombs Test (March2025 Update)

June 11, 2024

The Direct Coombs test is a criterion in the systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) classification criteria. It is also known as the direct Coombs antibody test and the direct antiglobulin test (DAT).

The Coombs test (pronounced like Kooms test) is …

Is Lupus Hereditary?

March 6, 2024

Is Lupus Hereditary? “Yes”

Around 200 genes have been identified that increase the risk of getting lupus. This partly explains why women are much more likely to get lupus than men. Understanding the hereditary nature of lupus is a …

Early Signs of Lupus in Females

November 2, 2023

Lupus, an autoimmune disease, predominantly affects women. Around 90% of lupus patients are women, while 10% are men. This post covers the early signs of lupus in females.

Lupus symptoms in women also vary depending upon their time in life, …

Illustration of collecting a urine sample

How to collect a urine sample properly for testing (UPDATED January 2025)

May 16, 2021

Man collecting a clean catch urine sample — It is essential for lupus patients to regularly collect an accurate clean catch urine sample

January 2025 update:

Added how to collect a 24 hour urine

August 2023 update:

Other causes of elevated protein are added to the blog post …

Anti-chromatin antibodies attach to chromatin in lupus patients

Chromatin antibody: Make sure you know your labs [January 2026 UPDATE]

May 5, 2021

Some systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are positive for anti-chromatin antibodies. This is an interesting antibody that has some interesting properties, and this article goes into detail about anti-chromatin antibodies and their significance in SLE patients.

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NOTE: Johns Hopkins University

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Anti-SSA Test (anti-Ro): Know Your Labs

March 21, 2021

Understanding the Anti-SSA (Anti-Ro) Blood Test in Lupus and Sjögren’s

Have you recently received a positive anti-SSA blood test result? Naturally, you might feel confused or worried about your health. Specifically, doctors frequently use the anti-SSA test to diagnose autoimmune …

I am Dr. Donald Thomas, MD, a rheumatologist treating hundreds of lupus patients for over 30 years. Read my first blog post here to understand why I started this website and blog about “The Lupus Encyclopedia” and “The Lupus Secrets”.

Dr. Don Thomas also enjoys educating and empowering doctors, medical students, nurses, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and patients.