According to Healthgrades, Lupus is a disease that can affect almost any part of the body and can be mistaken for conditions from arthritis to rosacea. Flu-like illness, joint pain and skin problems are only a few of the many symptoms of lupus, which can also lead to more serious complications like heart and kidney disease. Lupus is a complex but usually manageable illness, as experts including Jane E. Salmon, MD, rheumatologist at HSS explain.

There is a test that can help diagnose lupus, but it’s only part of the picture. “An ANA test is a blood test that’s positive in the overwhelming majority of people with lupus, but not everybody with a positive test has lupus,” Dr. Salmon explained. 

Women of childbearing age are the most likely to develop lupus, so pregnancy must be carefully timed for women who have the disease. “If your disease is quiescent–not active–and you’re on low doses of steroids, you’re feeling good, all of your organs are working well, and you don't have active kidney disease, then your pregnancy is likely to be uncomplicated,” said Dr. Salmon, who studies lupus and pregnancy.

Read the full article at healthgrades.com.