Lupus Lab Results Summary for Your Rheumatologist

Make a one-page list of your lupus-related lab results, grouped as blood tests and urine tests, each with its date, its value and the range printed on that lab report, and add your questions. Bring it to your rheumatologist. This page lists what to include and what to ask. It is not advice about your treatment, and your rheumatologist decides which tests you need.

Which tests the sources name

• Blood tests. NIAMS lists antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and other antibody tests, complete blood counts, and metabolic panels. The American College of Rheumatology says it is vital to get regular bloodwork to monitor proteins that indicate signs of active disease and to monitor kidney function.
• Urine tests. NIAMS lists urine samples to check for abnormal levels of protein, which helps assess the kidneys. The American College of Rheumatology says it is important to look for changes in urine and for new swelling in the hands and feet.
• Kidney biopsy. NIAMS says doctors may do a biopsy of the skin or kidney when labs indicate there may be a problem with the kidney.

Your doctor chooses the tests for you. This list shows what the two sources mention, not what you should have.

What to put on your one page

• Each test, its value and unit, the date, and the range printed on that lab report.
• Which lab each result came from. MedlinePlus says results from different labs cannot be compared directly and that using the same lab helps when you look for trends.
• Your latest urine results, kept next to your blood results.
• Your medicines and the other doctors you see. The National Institute on Aging suggests bringing a list of what you take with the dose, and the names and phone numbers of your other doctors.
• Any change you noticed since your last visit, in your own words. NIAMS describes learning the warning signs of a flare so that you and your doctor might reduce or prevent them.

Questions to ask your rheumatologist

• Which of these results do you follow most closely for me, and why?
• Which results have changed since my last visit, and what does the change mean for me?
• How often should each blood and urine test be done for me?
• Are any results from a different lab, and does that change how you read them?
• What changes in my urine or swelling should I tell you about, and how quickly?
• Which other doctors should see my results, and how do I get them there?

For a first rheumatology visit, our checklist of what to bring to a first specialist appointment goes with this page.

What to do with the files

Phi Longevity PRISM can build a one-page Care Team Brief from your lab reports, with each result, its date, its trend and the guideline behind each flag. It reads PDFs, photos of printouts and spreadsheets, and connects to MyChart at participating Epic health systems. You print it or save it as a PDF and bring it with your own list of medicines and questions. See the lupus lab guide and our page for people with chronic conditions.

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What Phi Longevity PRISM does not do

It does not diagnose, and it does not tell you what a result means for you, whether you are in a flare, or what to change. It reads lab results today; medicines, diagnoses and allergies are not imported yet. It uses the range printed on your own lab report and never swaps in its own. Your rheumatologist decides what you need.