Drug-induced systemic lupus erythematosus

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No one likes to think that a drug given to cure a disease has instead caused one. Yet, that is exactly what happens in as many as 10% of diagnosed cases of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). To date, three drugs have been confirmed as having lupus-producing potential and about 40 more have been implicated. Stressing the reversibility of drug-induced SLE, Dr Kale urges a high index of suspicion for this iatrogenic disease and outlines means of differentiating it from spontaneous SLE.