Course Details:
Launch Date: August 5, 2025
Expires: August 31, 2027
Course #1042
12 Credits/Hours
Course Overview
This comprehensive course on Lupus Erythematosus provides healthcare professionals and students with an in-depth understanding of one of the most complex and variable autoimmune diseases affecting multiple organ systems. Systemic lupus erythematosus represents a chronic inflammatory condition characterized by the production of autoantibodies against nuclear and cytoplasmic antigens, leading to widespread tissue damage and clinical manifestations ranging from mild cutaneous involvement to life-threatening organ dysfunction. The course explores the epidemiology, pathophysiology, immunologic mechanisms, clinical presentations, diagnostic approaches, treatment strategies, and long-term management of lupus erythematosus. Through evidence-based content derived from authoritative medical sources including the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and peer-reviewed medical literature, participants will gain essential knowledge for recognizing, diagnosing, and managing patients with this challenging autoimmune disorder. Special emphasis is placed on understanding the heterogeneous nature of lupus, the importance of early diagnosis, the role of multidisciplinary care, and emerging therapeutic interventions that have transformed outcomes for patients living with this chronic condition.
Table of Contents
- Epidemiology and Risk Factors of Lupus Erythematosus
- Immunopathogenesis and Autoimmune Mechanisms
- Clinical Manifestations and Organ System Involvement
- Diagnostic Criteria and Laboratory Evaluation
- Treatment Approaches and Pharmacologic Interventions
- Disease Monitoring and Management of Complications
- Prognosis, Quality of Life, and Future Directions
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Describe the epidemiologic patterns of lupus erythematosus including prevalence, incidence, demographic variations, and established risk factors contributing to disease development and progression.
- Explain the complex immunopathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus including the roles of genetic susceptibility, environmental triggers, loss of immune tolerance, autoantibody production, and immune complex-mediated tissue injury.
- Recognize the diverse clinical manifestations of lupus erythematosus across multiple organ systems including constitutional symptoms, mucocutaneous features, musculoskeletal involvement, renal disease, neuropsychiatric manifestations, hematologic abnormalities, and cardiovascular complications.
- Apply appropriate diagnostic criteria and interpret relevant laboratory studies including antinuclear antibodies, specific autoantibody profiles, complement levels, and other immunologic markers essential for establishing diagnosis and assessing disease activity.
- Evaluate evidence-based treatment strategies for lupus erythematosus including antimalarial agents, corticosteroids, immunosuppressive medications, biologic therapies, and supportive interventions tailored to disease severity and organ involvement.
- Implement systematic approaches to disease monitoring, recognize complications requiring intervention, and understand strategies for managing lupus-related damage including infection prevention, cardiovascular risk reduction, and screening for malignancy.
- Assess prognostic factors influencing outcomes in lupus erythematosus, appreciate the impact of disease on quality of life, and identify emerging therapeutic approaches and research directions advancing the field of lupus management.
