Focus on What Matters in Lupus Monitoring

Autoantibody levels fluctuate for various reasons, and once a positive anti-nuclear antibody (A and A) result confirms a lupus diagnosis, repeated testing is generally unnecessary and unhelpful. Instead, attention should shift to more relevant laboratory tests for ongoing disease management. Antibodies to double-stranded DNA can vary and may correlate with disease activity in some patients, requiring monitoring. Additionally, complement levels offer valuable insights; a decrease may indicate increased disease activity. Lastly, lymphopenia observed in a complete blood count (CBC) is another important marker to watch in managing lupus.