Lupus symptoms vary, complicating diagnosis
Common symptoms of the autoimmune disorder can include fatigue, rashes and pain, UCI Health rheumatology expert says
IN THE NEWS: Lupus is a complex autoimmune condition that attacks the body’s own tissues and organs, causing inflammation that can have a wide variety of symptoms. Dr. Sheetal Desai, a rheumatologist with UCI Health explains to Prevention that symptoms of lupus can be nonspecific, which can delay diagnosis.
“About 90% of patients report persistent fatigue and a general sense of feeling unwell.”
Desai is a board-certified rheumatologist at UCI Health who specializes in lupus. She is also an associate professor and chief of the Division of Rheumatology, as well as interim chair of the Department of Medicine, at the UC Irvine School of Medicine.
Desai is actively recruiting patients to participate in a phase 1 clinical trial for an investigational stem cell therapy that has shown promising results in Europe. Learn more about the dapirolizumab pegol trial.
To make an appointment with UCI Health Rheumatology Services, call 714-456-7720.
About UCI Health
UCI Health is one of California’s largest academic health systems and the clinical enterprise of the University of California, Irvine. Established on July 1, 1976, UCI Health has grown into a 1,461-bed health system that includes UCI Health — Orange, UCI Health — Irvine, four Community Network hospitals and a growing network of ambulatory care centers across Orange and Los Angeles counties. As Orange County’s only academic health systems, UCI Health is home to the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center based in the county, the region’s only American College of Surgeons-verified Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center, American College of Emergency Physicians Gold Level 1 Geriatric Emergency Department and a nationally recognized regional burn center verified by the American Burn Association. Powered by UC Irvine, UCI Health serves 5.6 million people across Orange County, western Riverside County and southeast Los Angeles County through excellence in patient care, research and medical education. Follow UCI Health on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.