Facial erythema, pericarditis, pleuritis, fever, and weight loss-rationale: an autoimmune disorder characterized by chronic inflammation of the connective tissues, sle causes fever, weight loss, malaise, fatigue, skin rashes, and polyarthralgia. nearly half of clients with sle have facial erythema, (the classic butterfly rash). sle also may cause profuse proteinuria (excretion of more than 0.5 g/day of protein), pleuritis, pericarditis, photosensitivity, and painless mucous membrane ulcers. weight gain, hypervigilance, hypothermia, and edema of the legs and arms dont suggest sle.client needs category: health promotion and maintenanceclient needs subcategory: nonecognitive level: knowledgereference: smeltzer, s.c., et al. brunner and suddarths textbook of medical surgical-nursing, 11th ed. philadelphia: lippincott williams & wilkins, 2008, p. 1910.
