Fw: Kathi info and also Lupus info from Annex A

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Sent: Thursday, January 30, 2003 2:27 PM

Subject: POST: Kathi info and also Lupus info from Annex A

To the group,Kathi is ill and is not doing the group posting right now. She was in the hospital, but is home now. She also had a Birthday this past week, so maybe you can send her a belated ecard. pureheart@...I am tied up at the moment, but if something is sent to me that is very important I will send it out. So please bear with us for the time being.We have not forgotten anyone, we just have not been posting. I will try to get a few thing out. I just asked my lawyer about the lupus Dx. and this is what I received.Below is what I found concerning the diagnoses of SLE. I have also attached Annex A to the Settlement Facility which contains the criteria/definiations of everything else. (If anyone in the group wants the attached Annex A I can send it in a pdf file. KN ) Schedule II to Annex A - Medical Conditions and CharacteristicsANNEX A - 87SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS (SLE)1. A diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) shall be made in accordance with 1982 Revised Criteria for the Classification of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, 25 Arthritis and Rheumatism No. 11 (November 1982) adopted by the American College of Rheumatology. See Kelley, 4th ed. at 1037, Table 61-11: A diagnosis of lupus is made if four of the eleven manifestations listed in the table were present, either serially or simultaneously, during any interval of observations.CRITERION AND DEFINITIONMalar rash - Fixed erythema, flat or raised, over the malar eminences,tending to spare the nasolabial foldsDiscoid rash - Erythematous raised patches with adherent keratotic scaling andfollicular plugging; atrophic scarring may occur in older lesionsPhotosensitivity - Skin rash as a result of unusual reaction to sunlight, by patienthistory or physician observationOral ulcers - Oral or nasopharyngeal ulceration, usually painless, observedby a physicianArthritis - Nonerosive arthritis involving two or more peripheral joints,characterized by tenderness, swelling or effusionSerositis - (a) Pleuritis -- convincing history of pleuritic pain or rub heardby a physician or evidence of pleural effusion or ( Pericarditis-- documented by ECG or rub or evidence of pericardial effusionRenal disorder - (a) Persistent proteinuria greater than 0.5 g/day or greater than3 + if quantitation not performed or ( Cellular casts - may be red cell, hemoglobin, granular, tubular, or mixedNeurologic disorder - (a) Seizures - in the absence of offending drugs or knownmetabolic derangements; e.g., uremia, ketoacidosis, or electrolyte imbalance or ( Psychosis - in the absence of offending drugs or known metabolic derangements; e.g. uremia, ketoacidosis, or electrolyte imbalanceHematologic disorder - (a) Hemolytic anemia - with reticulocytosis or ( Leukopenia -less than 4000/mm total on 2 or more occasions or © Lymphopenia - less than 1500/mm on 2 or more occasions or (d) Thrombocytopenia - less than 100,000/mm in the absenceof offending drugs Immunologic disorder - (a) Positive LE cell preparation or ( Anti-DNA - antibody tonative DNA in abnormal titer or © Anti-Sm - presence of antibody to Sm nuclear antigen or (d) False positive serologic test for syphilis known to be positive for at least 6 months andconfirmed by Treponema pallidum immobilization or fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption test Antinuclear antibody - An abnormal titer of antinuclear antibody by immunofluorescence or an equivalent assay at any point in time and in the absence of drugs known to be Associated with druginduced lupus syndrome2. The application of the ACR diagnostic criteria is not intended to exclude from thecompensation program individuals who present clinical symptoms or laboratory findingsatypical of SLE but who nonetheless have a systemic lupus erythematosus-like disease,except that an individual will not be compensated in this category if her symptomologymore closely resembles mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD), ACTD, or any otherdisease or condition defined below.3. Severity/Disability Compensation Categories:A. Death or total disability resulting from SLE or an SLE-like condition. An individualwill be considered totally disabled based on either the functional capacity test setforth in Severity/Disability Category A for ACTD/ARS/NAC or severe renalinvolvement.B. SLE with major organ involvement defined as SLE with one or more of thefollowing: glomerulonephritis, central nervous system involvement (i.e. seizures orLupus Psychosis), myocarditis, pneumonitis, thrombocytopenic purpura, hemolyticanemia (marked), severe granulocytopenia, mesenteric vasculitis. SeeImmunological Diseases, Max Samter, Ed. Table 56-6, at 1352.C. Non-major organ SLE requiring regular medical attention, including doctor visits andregular prescription medications. An individual is not excluded from this categoryfor whom prescription medications are recommended but who, because of the sideeffects of those medications, chooses not to take them.D. Non-major organ SLE requiring little or no treatment. An individual will fall intothis category if she is able to control her symptoms through the following kinds ofconservative measures: over-the-counter medications, avoiding sun exposure, use oflotions for skin rashes, and increased rest periods.