Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects
millions of people worldwide, both directly and indirectly.
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FACTS ABOUT LUPUS Lupus is a Chronic Autoimmune Disease
Lupus is a disease of the immune system. The immune system normally protects
the body by producing antibodies, or proteins, that attach to and destroy
foreign invaders, such as bacteria or viruses. In people with lupus, the immune
system, for yet undiscovered reasons, produces antibodies that target the
body's own healthy cells, which can lead to tissue damage, organ failure,
disability or mortality.
While the exact cause of lupus is not fully understood, a combination of
defective genes and environmental factors are believed to cause lupus disease
activity. The environmental triggers include infections, antibiotics
(especially those in the sulfa and penicillin groups), ultraviolet light (sun
or fluorescent light), extreme stress, certain medicines, and hormones.
There are Different Types of Lupus
There are several forms of lupus. Discoid or cutaneous lupus is limited to
the skin. Systemic lupus can involve any system of the body, including the
joints and other connective tissue, as well as the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain
and other vital organs. Drug-induced lupus is caused by certain medicines. Its
symptoms are similar to systemic lupus but usually go away when a person stops
taking the medicine. Neonatal lupus is an additional form of lupus that can
affect the fetus or newborn, and involves the skin, blood, and vital organs,
such as the heart and liver.
Lupus Affects Mostly Young Women
Conservatively, researchers estimate that more than 5 million people
worldwide have a form of lupus and more than 100,000 new cases develop every
year. Nine of ten people with lupus are women. The disease usually develops
between the ages of 15 and 44. However, lupus can strike men, children and
women of all ages. Lupus is more common among people of certain races and
ethnic backgrounds, although the reasons for this ethnic selection are not
clear.
Lupus Can Be Difficult to Diagnose
It can take several years to tell if a person has lupus because symptoms are
similar to many common illnesses. Symptoms of lupus often change over time, can
come and go without explanation, and can vary in intensity, making diagnosis
difficult. There also is no single test for lupus. A doctor will determine that
a person has lupus after giving the patient a thorough medical examination and
reviewing the patient's complete medical history, family medical history, and
laboratory test results.
Common Symptoms of Lupus
Lupus affects each person differently. The most common symptoms of lupus are
painful and swollen joints, fevers, extreme fatigue, skin rashes, anemia (a low
number of red blood cells), and kidney involvement. These symptoms occur in
more than half of all persons with lupus, but not everyone with lupus will
develop all of these symptoms or experience them all at the same time. Other
symptoms include pain in the chest on deep breathing (pleurisy), a
butterfly-shaped rash across the cheeks and nose, sensitivity to the sun or
ultraviolet light (photosensitivity), hair loss, abnormal blood clotting,
Raynaud's phenomenon (fingers or toes turning white, red and/or blue in the
cold), seizures, and ulcers in the mouth or nose.
Treatments Vary from Person to Person
Individuals with lupus can suffer debilitating pain, tissue damage and organ
failure. Depending on which organs are affected and the severity of disease,
individuals with lupus may have to take multiple medicines, be treated by
physicians from several medical specialties, undergo numerous medical
evaluations and procedures, and be hospitalized several times per year.
Doctors will prescribe certain medicines to treat lupus, depending on the
specific needs of each person. Medicines used to treat lupus include
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, aspirin, acetaminophen, corticosteroids,
antimalarials, immunomodulating drugs, and anticoagulants. Many medicines used
to treat lupus are very toxic and can cause other health problems from
long-term use. There has not been a new medicine approved in more than 30 years
specifically for lupus. New medicines are being tested but are not available at
this time. More research is needed to develop safer and more effective
medicines to treat lupus.
Impact of Lupus
In addition to the physical impact that affects the quality of life of a
person with lupus, families often must cope with the economic and emotional
devastation caused when a loved one develops a serious illness. Medical
expenses can wreak havoc on a family's financial stability, and a family's
lifestyle may undergo significant changes in daily schedules of activities,
employment options, parenting, relationships, etc. Society at large also
suffers from this disease that causes lost work days, increased burden at
hospitals, and disruption of family routines.
Search for a Cure Continues
At the present time, there is no cure for lupus. Doctors can only treat the
symptoms and try to control the disease. For some people, lupus is a very mild
disease affecting only a few organs or systems in the body. For others, lupus
may cause serious and even life-threatening health problems. In extreme cases
people die from lupus. It is important that people who have lupus be diagnosed
quickly and start treatment immediately to keep the disease under control and
reduce the damage it can cause to tissue and organs. For more information,
visit the World Lupus Day website at www.worldlupusday.org .
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