Testing for Lupus while in the hospital for Crohn's

[SupportiveMom]

When in the hospital they ran a whole bunch of tests I wasn't even aware of and now see it in her discharge papers. I was surprised to see they tested her for Lupus. (the reports stated levels indicated testing for lupus but came back negative - sorry working on memory & don't have discharge papers with me at work)

While I am glad it came back negative this wasn't on my radar, but evidently was on our GI's mind. Now I am starting to read on this but have no clue if this is something I need to be concerned with in the future if it develops or not.

Any experience with this anyone?

 

[Mehita]

I think the concern is drug induced Lupus. I've read about it with Remicade but I'm not sure if other drugs are of concern. I'll see if I can find the articles...

 

[SupportiveMom]

I tried searching the forum too and only got Remicade info with it. Let me know if you find anything

 

[Maya142]

My older daughter had a "butterfly" rash while on Humira (after being in the sun,two separate times) and so was tested for drug-induced lupus. Her ANA was positive but eventually they decided they would just watch her. We were given very strict instructions about not getting sunburned - apparently with some kids lupus can be triggered by a sunburn. Anyway, she's been very careful and the rash never came back and so we stopped worrying about it.

 

[Clash]

DIL can occur with any of the anti tumour necrosis factor meds. If you Google anti tnf and drug induced lupus it will pull up a Google scholar article on it. The article states that those with autoimmune illness may be harder to distinguish DIL so it may be a good idea to test for Lupus in the case of those on biologics and have auto immune illness. I'm assuming the same would apply when taking for CD instead of taking for psoriasis or RA. So I think it is just something that would be checked just in case. C was tested for it his first hospital stay while on remicade.

 

[crohnsinct]

Yep. DD as a Remicade user and psoriatic arthritis sufferer was tested for it as well. I think if the results came up negative then I wouldn't worry to much as your doc seems pretty on top of things to even be testing for it in the first place. I think I would trust him to look for it if symptoms pointed in that direction. But still would make myself familiar with symptoms just in case and because then what else would we do with our time?

 

[SupportiveMom]

What is the difference or is there a difference between testing for drug induced Lupus or systemic lupus erythematosis? Rereading the discharge papers. Seems I missed a few details. I thought her blood work was fine, but her CRP was elevated.

 

[araceli]

I believe is the same test for both. First one will be the ANA testing. If it comes negative no more test will be done. If it comes positive there is a bunch of test that are ordered. My daughter's test came positive with a high titer but other test show nothing. So they said it was a false positive. She is going to be retest in a couple of months.

 

[AZMOM]

We went through this a few years ago on the Rheumatology front. Claire's ANA was high titer and she has some of the antibodies you typically see with lupus patients. I was crazed to think about another diagnosis.

Her Rheumy told me that unless we see symptoms, that is not her diagnosis and that people can "walk around" with some of these antibodies and never have a lupus diagnosis.

I try not to think about that one. How's that for trying to do the "ostrich head in the sand" thing?!?!?!? :ybatty:

J.

 

[SupportiveMom]

I would have .y head in the sand right next to you AZmom. Not sure how I would have coped with another diagnosis like that and our doc is looking for an additional illness/ disease she thinks is at play.