A 12-year-old child is brought to the clinic with joint pain, a 3-week history of low-grade fever, and a facial rash. The primary care pediatric nurse practitioner palpates an enlarged liver 2 cm below the subcostal margin along with diffuse lymphadenopathy. An antinuclear antibody (ANA) test is positive. Which test may be ordered to confirm a diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematous (SLE)?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Although all of the antibody tests listed can be used to aid in the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the most specific test is the anti-double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) antibody test. This test has a high specificity for SLE and is typically positive in patients with active disease. The other antibody tests listed may be positive in a variety of autoimmune disorders and are not specific for SLE.

A 12-Year-Old Child Is Brought to the Clinic with Joint