38 CFR Part 4 — 38 CFR § 4.88b

Lupus erythematosus, systemic (disseminated) — VA Diagnostic Code 6350

Infectious / immune

Diagnostic code

6350

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38 CFR § 4.88b lists Diagnostic Code 6350 as “Lupus erythematosus, systemic (disseminated).” The percentage lines are 100, 60, and 10. The 100 percent cell in the 2026-10-01 full-text XML also contains the words “Not to be combined with ratings under DC 7809.” A note says to evaluate by combining residuals or by evaluating DC 6350, whichever is higher. Section 3.309(a) says “Lupus erythematosus, systemic.” It does not print “(disseminated).”

Reviewed 2026-10-05. Text checked against the eCFR versioner full-text XML for 2026-10-01 on 2026-10-05. Title 38 was up to date as of 2026-10-01 and last amended on 2026-08-27. The § 4.88b source note prints 61 FR 39875, July 31, 1996, as amended at 84 FR 28230, June 18, 2019.

The rating criteria at each level

Lupus erythematosus, systemic (disseminated) — DC 6350

Rating %: 100

Criteria (verbatim). Not to be combined with ratings under DC 7809 Acute, with frequent exacerbations, producing severe impairment of health

Rating %: 60

Criteria (verbatim). Exacerbations lasting a week or more, 2 or 3 times per year

Rating %: 10

Criteria (verbatim). Exacerbations once or twice a year or symptomatic during the past 2 years

Rating %	Criteria (verbatim)
100	Not to be combined with ratings under DC 7809 Acute, with frequent exacerbations, producing severe impairment of health
60	Exacerbations lasting a week or more, 2 or 3 times per year
10	Exacerbations once or twice a year or symptomatic during the past 2 years

Note: Evaluate this condition either by combining the evaluations for residuals under the appropriate system, or by evaluating DC 6350, whichever method results in a higher evaluation.

The 100 percent cell is one cell in the 2026-10-01 full-text XML. It begins “Not to be combined with ratings under DC 7809” and continues “Acute, with frequent exacerbations, producing severe impairment of health.” The XML does not put a period or a separate row between those clauses. This page does not insert one.

DC 6350 does not print a 0 percent line. 38 CFR § 4.31 says: “In every instance where the schedule does not provide a zero percent evaluation for a diagnostic code, a zero percent evaluation shall be assigned when the requirements for a compensable evaluation are not met.” 38 CFR § 4.7 assigns the higher rating when the disability picture more nearly approximates the criteria required for that rating. Otherwise, the lower rating will be assigned. 38 CFR § 4.6 requires each element affecting the evidence to be studied so that decisions will be equitable and just.

DC 7809 is “Discoid lupus erythematosus.” Its line says to evaluate under the General Rating Formula for the Skin. The 100 percent cell of DC 6350 says ratings under DC 6350 are not to be combined with ratings under DC 7809. That is a different sentence from the note, which allows combining evaluations for residuals under the appropriate system when that method is higher.

Source: 38 CFR § 4.88b, Diagnostic Code 6350, eCFR full-text XML for 2026-10-01.

What the words mean in your records

Acute, with frequent exacerbations

The words that follow DC 7809 in the 100 percent cell are “Acute, with frequent exacerbations, producing severe impairment of health.” The 60 percent line is exacerbations lasting a week or more, 2 or 3 times per year. The 10 percent line is exacerbations once or twice a year or symptomatic during the past 2 years.

Residuals, or DC 6350, whichever is higher

The note says to evaluate this condition either by combining the evaluations for residuals under the appropriate system, or by evaluating DC 6350, whichever method results in a higher evaluation. 38 CFR § 4.14 still says the evaluation of the same manifestation under different diagnoses is to be avoided. The note is the instruction for this code.

Subacute cutaneous lupus is not this title

DC 7821 includes “subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus” in the parenthetical for cutaneous manifestations of collagen-vascular diseases not listed elsewhere, and it says to evaluate under the General Rating Formula for the Skin. That is not the title of DC 6350.

Evidence that speaks to each level

100

What the rater needs to see. The acute picture in the 100 percent cell: frequent exacerbations producing severe impairment of health. The same cell says not to combine that rating with ratings under DC 7809.

Where that usually lives. The examination that describes the exacerbations and the impairment of health.

60 or 10

What the rater needs to see. How long exacerbations last and how often they occur in a year, or, for 10 percent, whether the condition was symptomatic during the past 2 years.

Where that usually lives. The treatment history for the past year, or the past 2 years for the symptomatic clause.

Residuals

What the rater needs to see. The note’s other method: evaluations for residuals under the appropriate system, compared with an evaluation under DC 6350, using whichever method results in a higher evaluation.

Where that usually lives. The examinations of the body systems the residuals affect.

Level	What the rater needs to see	Where that usually lives
100	The acute picture in the 100 percent cell: frequent exacerbations producing severe impairment of health. The same cell says not to combine that rating with ratings under DC 7809.	The examination that describes the exacerbations and the impairment of health.
60 or 10	How long exacerbations last and how often they occur in a year, or, for 10 percent, whether the condition was symptomatic during the past 2 years.	The treatment history for the past year, or the past 2 years for the symptomatic clause.
Residuals	The note’s other method: evaluations for residuals under the appropriate system, compared with an evaluation under DC 6350, using whichever method results in a higher evaluation.	The examinations of the body systems the residuals affect.

VA’s public DBQ list, checked October 5, 2026, names “Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and other Autoimmune Diseases” under Rheumatological. The file is Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and other Autoimmune Diseases.

The exam form

DC 6350’s lines are the 100, 60, and 10 percent cells and the note about residuals. This page does not say the form replaces that text.

Related codes and how they interact

Discoid lupus is DC 7809

DC 7809 is discoid lupus erythematosus, rated under the General Rating Formula for the Skin. The DC 6350 100 percent cell says not to combine ratings under DC 6350 with ratings under DC 7809.

Secondary conditions and presumptions

38 CFR § 3.309(a) lists “Lupus erythematosus, systemic.” The schedule title is “Lupus erythematosus, systemic (disseminated).” 38 CFR § 3.307(a)(3) says the disease must have become manifest to a degree of 10 percent or more within 1 year (for Hansen's disease (leprosy) and tuberculosis, within 3 years; multiple sclerosis, within 7 years) from the date of separation from service as specified in paragraph (a)(2). Paragraph (a)(1) requires 90 days or more during a war period or after December 31, 1946, for the chronic-disease group. 38 CFR § 3.309(a) says the listed diseases shall be granted service connection if manifested to a compensable degree within those time limits, provided the rebuttable presumption provisions of § 3.307 are also satisfied. Paragraph (a) of § 3.307 also says no condition other than one listed in § 3.309(a) will be considered chronic. Systemic lupus is not one of the three diseases paragraph (a)(3) names for a longer period.

The 2026-10-01 text of 38 CFR § 3.309(e) does not name it. 38 CFR § 3.320 does not name it. 38 CFR § 3.320b does not name it. 38 CFR § 3.316 does not name it. 38 CFR § 3.309(f) does not name it. 38 CFR § 3.309(d) does not name it. Section 3.309(b) does not name lupus. Section 3.309(c) does not name it. Section 3.317(c)(2) does not name it.

A separate question, when a presumption does not decide it, is a medical question on the facts under 38 CFR § 3.310. Paragraph (a) covers disability proximately due to or the result of a service-connected disease or injury. Paragraph (b) covers increase in severity and requires a medical baseline.

Short answers

What is the VA rating for DC 6350?

Under 38 CFR § 4.88b, lupus erythematosus, systemic (disseminated), is rated 100, 60, or 10 percent. The code does not print a 0 percent line. The note compares residual evaluations with an evaluation under DC 6350 and uses the higher method. Education only. VA decides on the evidence.

What is the difference between DC 6350 and DC 7809?

DC 6350 is systemic (disseminated) lupus. DC 7809 is discoid lupus erythematosus, evaluated under the General Rating Formula for the Skin. The DC 6350 100 percent cell says not to combine ratings under DC 6350 with ratings under DC 7809.

FAQ

How does VA rate systemic lupus under DC 6350?

The 100 percent cell contains “Not to be combined with ratings under DC 7809” and “Acute, with frequent exacerbations, producing severe impairment of health.” Exacerbations lasting a week or more, 2 or 3 times per year, are 60 percent. Exacerbations once or twice a year, or being symptomatic during the past 2 years, are 10 percent. The note says to use combined residual evaluations or DC 6350, whichever method is higher. Education only.

Is systemic lupus on the chronic-disease list?

Section 3.309(a) lists “Lupus erythematosus, systemic.” Section 3.307(a)(3) requires manifestation to a degree of 10 percent or more within 1 year from separation. The schedule title adds “(disseminated).”

Is systemic lupus on the herbicide list or the burn-pit list?

The 2026-10-01 text of § 3.309(e) does not name it. Section 3.320 does not name it. Section 3.320b does not name it. Section 3.309(f) does not name it.

Next steps

Read the decision for DC 6350 or DC 7809, the exacerbation frequency, and whether residuals were combined.
The free worksheet is a place to write the code, the findings, and the records you already have. It does not file a claim or protect a filing date. An accredited representative is at find a VSO.
Other codes in this schedule are on the infectious-disease diagnostic-code index.

Education only. Not legal or medical advice. My Claim Packet is not a VA-accredited representative and does not file claims. VA decides every claim on its own evidence.

Other codes in this body system

Nearby catalog entries in Infectious / immune, ordered by diagnostic code number. All Infectious / immune codes

Also: DC code lookup (tools) lists the same index in a compact layout.

Source: 38 CFR Part 4, Diagnostic Code 6350 • va.gov

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