Not Technically Lupus??

Just curious, my daughter has a positive ANA 1:320 and ITP for the last 5 months. They said that she does not technically have Lupus. Steroids and Plaquinil worked for a while to keep her platelets up, until we tapered them. If it is Lupus wouldn't Plaquinil and steroids work to keep the platelets up? Or because she is not responding does it mean that it is ITP as of now?
Any help would be great!
Thanks,
emmy's mom

Does she have any lupus symptoms? Has she been tested for lupus-specific antibodies like anti-double stranded DNA?

A positive ANA is not entirely unusual, and not at all specific for lupus. While most lupus patients have an elevated ANA at some point (mine has been 1:2560), lots of people can have elevated ANA without ever developing autoimmune diseases.

Here's a link to the current diagnostic criteria for lupus: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systemic_lupus_erythematosus#Diagnostic_criteria

I have lupus and ITP, and when I dropped below 30mgs of prednisone, my platelets drop. I am also on Plaquenil. I am being treated with Rituximab (Rituxan) right now, to try to elevate my platelet count.

I hope this helps! Any more questions?

Two things:

1. A person with Lupus may not respond to Prednisone and Plaquenil. Plaquenil is quinine based and can actually cause platelets to drop. However, most of us with Lupus must take Plaquenil because the problems caused by not taking it are greater than the risk of a platelet drop. Very few people do experience a drop due to Plaquenil. None of us really know if Plaquenil keeps the counts up or not (some people still battle ITP while on Plaquenil/Prednisone).

2. Just curious - why do they have her on Plaquenil if she hasn't been diagnosed? I am one who believes that using Plaquenil before a diagnosis in a suspected Lupus-patient can be beneficial in prolonging the diagnosis. I've read a few articles about that.