What You Need to Know About Lupus

While there isn’t one specific test that can diagnose lupus, doctors can use several lab tests to get more information, which could enable them to make a diagnosis. According to the Lupus Foundation of America, 97 percent of patients with lupus will test positive on an antinuclear antibody test. Antibodies are proteins in the body that identify and attack foreign organisms. Antinuclear antibodies bind to the nucleus of the body’s healthy cells and damage them.The presence of these antibodies can signal an autoimmune disease like lupus. Doctors often administer blood tests to measure red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and blood serum when trying to diagnose or rule out lupus. Low counts of these blood components could signal lupus. To check for inflammation that could be caused by lupus, doctors may administer a test for C-reactive protein — a protein found in the blood that signals inflammation. Doctors can use many tests to check for signs of lupus, but lab tests alone cannot confirm or rule out disease.