PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Ian N Bruce AU - Joy Buie AU - Lauren Bloch AU - Sang-Cheol Bae AU - Karen Costenbader AU - Roger A Levy AU - Victoria P Werth AU - Ashley Marion AU - Sanjyot Sangodkar AU - Susan Manzi TI - Lupus spectrum ambiguity has long-term negative implications for patients AID - 10.1136/lupus-2022-000856 DP - 2023 Jan 01 TA - Lupus Science & Medicine PG - e000856 VI - 10 IP - 1 4099 - http://lupus.bmj.com/content/10/1/e000856.short 4100 - http://lupus.bmj.com/content/10/1/e000856.full SO - Lupus Sci Med2023 Jan 01; 10 AB - Lupus is a complex disease that is often difficult to diagnose. Risks of diagnostic delays include non-specific signs and symptoms that mimic other diseases and a lack of diagnostic criteria and referral pathways for non-specialists. To address these issues, we convened a series of virtual meetings with members of our Addressing Lupus Pillars for Health Advancement clinical care team. Meeting participants included lupus physicians, treatment developers from biotechnology, patient advocacy group representatives from the Lupus Foundation of America and advocacy/government consultants. Causes and consequences of ambiguity in diagnosis and diagnostic delays were evaluated through historical, experiential and evidence-based accounts (survey data, literature reviews and patient testimonials). Discussions highlighted the need for a clearer understanding of the definition of lupus, the natural history of the disease and the need for advancements in biotechnology to support an accurate and timely diagnosis with the potential development of a lupus spectrum.