Musculoskeletal symptoms occur in up to 90% of systemic lupus
erythematosus (SLE) patients. Lesions extend not only to joints but to the whole body,
causing inflammation in diverse organs such as the skin, kidneys, lungs, nervous
system, serous membranes and virtually across all organs of the body. The
ABCDEFGHI method consists of A (Alignment): malalignment and deformation; B
(Bone): bone changes; C (Capsular lesions): cartilage and intra-articular lesions; D
(Distribution): four dimensional distributions: 1 intra-articular, 2 Intra region, 3 intrabody,
4 timeline; E (Extra-bone): extra-articular soft tissue; F (Further information):
further additional medical information; G (Goal): general analysis and integrated, a
comprehensive diagnosis from the information; H (Heal and Heath): treatment and
prognosis; and I (Immunological analyzes): immunological interpretation (cytokines
and phenotypes of immune cells). This chapter outlines a methodology for diagnosing
the musculoskeletal and systemic manifestations of SLE.
Keywords: Musculoskeletal symptoms, Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Systemic manifestations.
