Manifestations of lupus that warrant high dose prednisone ≥1 mg/kg/day corticosteroid therapy
• Severe lupus nephritis
• CNS lupus with severe manifestations (including transverse myelitis)
• Autoimmune thrombocytopenia with extremely low platelet counts (e.g., <30,000/mm 3 )
• AIHA
• Acute pneumonitis
• Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage
• Severe vasculitis with visceral organ involvement
• Serious complications from pleuritis, pericarditis, or peritonitis
• MAS
Other SLE manifestations should be able to be controlled with lower doses of prednisone.
