Lupus Tests & Lupus Treatments at University of Colorado Hospital

Testing for Lupus

In order to diagnose lupus, a doctor will review your medical history, do a physical exam, and may order special laboratory or radiology tests. Lupus can be difficult to diagnose because symptoms vary widely and many symptoms of lupus are similar to symptoms of other types of diseases.

Lupus Treatments

There is no cure for lupus but treatments can help reduce symptoms such as pain and inflammation, which can result in long-term damage if untreated. Treatment for lupus will vary depending on your specific condition. Various medications may be prescribed including the following:

Anti-Inflammatory Drugs 

These medications help reduce inflammation associated with lupus. They are the most commonly prescribed drugs for the treatment of lupus. They include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen, as well as corticosteroids, such as prednisone.

Anti-Malarial Drugs

These medications can help treat skin rashes, fatigue, and lupus arthritis and generally have minimal side effects. Hydroxychloroquine is the most commonly prescribed drug in this class.

Immunosuppressive Drugs

These medications are prescribed for people with more severe symptoms of lupus and can have more side effects. They help treat lupus by suppressing the immune responses that can cause damage to normal cells and tissues in patients with lupus. Examples of these medications include azathioprine, mycophenolate mofetil, and cyclophosphamide.

Biologics

These medications are targeted to specific cell types or chemical pathways in the autoimmune processes involved in lupus. Therefore, they have the potential to have fewer side effects than other treatments, although for the most part, their use in lupus is still under investigation. These include treatments that deplete specific immune cells, those that interrupt the normal interactions between immune cells, and those that block the function of specific factors involved in inflammation.