Affiliations: Department of Medicine, University of California Los
Angeles, 1000 Veteran Avenue 32–59, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1670, USA. Tel.: +1
310 267 4975; Fax: +1 310 206 8606; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: Pediatric lupus encompasses a broad variety of clinical
manifestations of a systemic disease. Routine laboratory testing,
autoantibodies, and complement levels can confirm the diagnosis and help
monitoring and therapy of the disease, to ultimately improve outcomes.
Additionally, tests can help to identify subsets of patients with specific risk
factors and/or the involvement of selected organs/systems. The availability,
refinement and accuracy of laboratory tests are instrumental to improve the
diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of pediatric lupus patients.