Lupus or Systemic Lupus
Erythmatosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease in which the body attacks
and destroys its own cells. Virtually every body system can become affected and
the result is chronic pain, inflammation and even organ damage.
Because Lupus affects many of
the systems in the body the symptoms associated with the disease vary greatly
between patients. No two Lupus sufferers will have exactly the same symptoms and
new symptoms develop as the disease progresses. The symptoms that are present
will depend on the body system that the disease has attacked and are often
categorised as follows:
·
Organ
involvement
·
Skin conditions
·
Muscoskeletal
symptoms
·
CNS involvement
·
Blood disorders
·
Other symptoms
Some common symptoms of lupus
however are swollen and painful joints, skin rashes on the face, headaches,
chronic fatigue, hair loss, mood swings, fever and night sweats, kidney
problems, anaemia and certain neurological disorders that are caused by
inflammation of the protective covering of the brain and spinal chord.
These symptoms tend to flare
up when the sufferer is under more stress than normal or when they are feeling
tired and run down. Generally the symptoms felt by a sufferer are not overly
severe and can be controlled although they never completely disappear.
Around 90% of lupus patients
are female and although it can occur at any age it is more common in women
between the ages of 20 and 40 i.e. child-bearing ages. In addition it seems to
affect Asian and black women with more frequency than their white counterparts
but the reason for this is not as yet understood.
The cause of lupus, as with
so many other autoimmune diseases, remains unknown however scientists have
suggested that it may be triggered by immense stress, a viral infection,
puberty, child-birth or the long-term use of some classes of prescription
medications in some women. Because the majority of sufferers are female, there
is also the suggestion that lupus has its roots in the activity of specific
hormones, and that it has a genetic factor which runs through the mother’s side
of the family.
Diagnosis can be difficult
because of the variety in presenting symptoms however a simple blood test can
measure the concentration of antinuclear antibody (ANA) in the blood. Although
this is a diagnostic test for lupus is it not indicative of the disease as a
number of similar diseases also give a positive result. However a positive
result combined with the patient’s medical history and the reported symptoms is
enough to diagnose the disease in most cases. Once a diagnosis has been made
further tests will show the extent to which the body systems have been
affected.
The prognosis for lupus
sufferers depends on which body systems are affected however in general patients
lead a more sedentary life because of their symptoms i.e. joint pain, fatigue,
anaemia etc. Those sufferers in which lupus affects their important organs may
have a reduced life span but this again will depend on the severity of the
disease and how often flare-ups occur. Luckily, for most women with the
condition, relapses are not common and life can go on with virtual normality,
even if it does happen at a slightly slower pace.
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