Incomplete Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Early Diagnosis or Overdiagnosis?

Abstract

We read with great interest the article published recently in Arthritis Care & Research by Costenbader and Schur, and with this editorial we would like to offer additionaal insights and views. While we fully agree with the fact that autoimmunity does not occur overnight, that autoantibodies may be present years before any clinical manifestation of lupus ensues, and that in lupus disease manifestations may evolve over a variable time period (days to years), we also think that in the clinical setting we must be exceedingly careful about the name we give to those individuals who eventually may (or may not) evolve into a defined systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) phenotype...