Methods of diagnosing or monitoring auto immune and chronic inflammatory diseases, particularly systemic lupus erythematosis and rheumatoid arthritis, in a patient by detecting the expression level of one or more genes in a patient, are described. Diagnostic oligonucleotides for diagnosing or monitoring auto immune and chronic inflammatory diseases, particularly systemic lupus erythematosis and rheumatoid arthritis and kits or systems containing the same are also described.