Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Part 1 Etiology - basic theories: autoimmunity; overview of cellular immune function in systemic lupus erythematosus; etiologic hypotheses for systemic lupus erythematosus; genetic susceptibility, class I and class II MHC antigens; epidemiology of lupus. Part 2 Animal models of disease: murine models of lupus; lupus in the dog. Part 3 Autoantibodies and antigens: anti-DNA antibodies; antibodies to cytoplasmic antigens; antihistone antibodies; antibodies to non-histone antigens; antilymphocyte antibodies; antiphospholipid antibodies; immune complexes; laboratory evaluation of SLE. Part 4 The clinical approach: clinical presentation of systemic lupus erythematosus in the adult; systemic lupus erythematosus of childhood; neonatal lupus; overlap syndromes; radiology of SLE; sex and age in lupus; pregnancy and SLE; antinuclear antibody-negative lupus; complement deficiency and lupus; phospholipid syndromes. Part 5 The organ system approach: neuropsychiatric disorders of SLE; SLE and the skin; SLE and kidney; SLE and the cardiovascular system; the heart; SLE and the cardiovascular system - vasculitis; SLE and the lung; nonhepatic GI manifestations of SLE; hepatic disease and SLE; hematology - cellular aspects; hematology-coagulation problems; articular manifestations of SLE; psychiatric aspects of SLE; cognitive dysfunction in SLE. Part 6 Drug induced SLE: genetic regulation of drug metabolism and SLE; drug related lupus - the same or different. Part 7 Therapeutic modalities: steroid use in SLE; immunosuppressive therapy - cytotoxic agents, antimarlarials, and azathioprine; unproven and experimental therapy of SLE. Afterword: directions in systemic lupus erythematosus research.