A 26-year-old African-American woman visits her physician because of a prominent rash over her nose and cheeks,which she first noticed following her return from a vacation in Jamaica.She also complains of fever,fatigue,weight loss,and joint pain over the last several months.Serologic tests are conclusive for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE),an autoimmune disease that can manifest clinically with rashes,arthritis,glomerulonephritis,hemolytic anemia,thrombocytopenia (low platelet count),and central nervous system involvement.The principal diagnostic test result specific for this condition is a high titer of autoantibodies against which of the following?

Question

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The most specific diagnostic test for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)is the detection of antibodies against double-stranded DNA.Nevertheless,many different autoantibodies are found in patients with SLE,including other "antinuclear" antibodies.These include autoantibodies against ribonucleoproteins,histones,and nucleolar antigens.Other autoantibodies found in SLE bind erythrocytes and platelets.Antibodies specific for the glomerular basement membrane are typical of Goodpasture's syndrome,and anti-IgG antibodies,called "rheumatoid factor," are found in several autoimmune diseases,including rheumatoid arthritis.

A 26-Year-Old African-American Woman Visits Her Physician Because of a Prominent