Question
The 42-year-old female has a history of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and now feels like she is having a flare-up. Which of the following set of labs would confirm an SLE flare-up?
| A. |
Increased complement level, increased anti-dsDNA level, increased ESR level
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| B. |
Decreased complement level, increased anti-dsDNA level, increased ESR level
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| C. |
Decreased complement level, decreased anti-dsDNA level, increased ESR level
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| D. |
Increased complement level, decreased anti-dsDNA level, increased ESR level
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Show Answer
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Correct Answer � B
Explanation
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Ans. B
Laboratory studies can provide a clue to the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) flare-ups. Let’s go through the lab results you would expect to see:
Complement level: You would expect to see low complement levels in a patient with an SLE flare-up. Low complement levels mean a high level of lupus activity.
Anti-dsDNA: Increased anti-dsDNA levels are typically seen before and during the period of SLE flare-up.
ESR: This is a blood test that measures the amount of inflammation in the body – during a flare-up, one would expect to see the ESR level go up.
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