Lupus is an autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system becomes hyperactive and attacks normal, healthy tissue. This results in symptoms such as inflammation, swelling, and damage to joints, skin, kidneys, blood, the heart, and lungs.
Under normal function, the immune system makes proteins called antibodies in order to protect and fight against antigens such as viruses and bacteria.
Lupus makes the immune system unable to differentiate between antigens (a substance capable of inducing a specific immune response) and healthy tissue. This leads the immune system to direct antibodies against the healthy tissue -not just antigens- causing swelling, pain, and tissue damage.
Lupus is an autoimmune disease -it is caused by problems in the body’s immune system.
The type that we refer to simply as lupus is known as systemic lupus erythematosus or SLE. Other types of lupus include discoid (cutaneous), drug-induced, and neonatal.
According to the Lupus Foundation of America, 1.5 to 2 million Americans have some form of lupus. It is also said that 5 million people worldwide suffer from some form of Lupus.
Women are diagnosed 9 times more often than men and usually between the ages of 15 and 45.
Risk factors include exposure to sunlight, certain prescription medications, infection with Epstein-Barr virus, and exposure to certain chemicals.
Most doctors believe that lupus results from both genetic and environmental stimuli. Environmental factors include extreme stress, exposure to ultraviolet light, smoking, some medications and antibiotics, infections and the Epstein-Barr virus (in children).
Symptoms of lupus include achy joints, swelling of hands and feet, fever, fatigue, skin lesions, rash, anemia, chest pain, light sensitivity, hair loss and more.
Treatments for lupus include corticosteroids, immunosuppressive drugs and lifestyle changes.
Other types include discoid (cutaneous), drug-induced, and neonatal.
Patients with discoid lupus have a version of the disease that is limited to the skin. It is characterized by a rash that appears on the face, neck, and scalp, and it does not affect internal organs. Less than 10% of patients with discoid lupus progress into the systemic form of the disease, but there is no way to predict or prevent the path of the disease.
Until tomorrow: Life is like a candle. Either it slowly melts away or a harsh breath of wind blows it out of existence.
Por Dorothy Prats
14 de Mayo de 2015 - 6:00 AM
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