Drug-Induced Lupus
Not yet clinically reviewed
This protocol was migrated from the earlier Pharmapedia and Ward Guide apps for educational use. Follow your hospital's own policies and consult seniors when in doubt.
Characteristic features
- Drug - induced lupus shares several clinical and serologic features with SLE but is due to ongoing exposure to a drug and resolver when the offending drug is discontinued.
- In contrast to SLE, the sex ratio is nearly equal.
- As a general rule, drug - induced lupus presents with fever, arthralgia, myalgia, and serositis but not renal involvement, neurologic symptoms, or other features of SLE.
- Serologic testing reveals elevated titers of antinuclear antibodies in all patients, but antibodies to DNA, Sm , RNP , SS - A , and SS - 8 are rare . Antibodies to histones are common but also are seen in SLE and thus do not distinguish drug - induced lupus from SLE Complement levels are usually normal.
- The list of drugs implicated as possible causes of drug - induced lupus in observational studies and case reports is extensive. There are definite associations between the development of drug induced lupus and the use of hydralazine, isoniazid, and minocycline as well as several medications no longer commonly prescribed (procainamide, quinidine, methyldopa, and chlorpromazine).