Lupus : An Autoimmune Disease

     Lupus is a potentially life threatening disease that effects about 1.5 million Americans. Lupus can effect many different parts of the body. Lupus is a type of autoimmune system disorder in which the body cannot distinguish the difference between foreign antibodies and its own organs. So basically what happens is that the body ends up attacking its own organs thinking they are foreign substances. (The Lupus Foundation of America)

Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease of unknown cause that can affect virtually any part of the body. The medical term for Lupus is Systemic Lupus Erythematosus or better known as SLE. With Lupus there is a malfunction in some of the cells of the immune system. "In Lupus, the body overreacts to an unknown stimulus and makes to many antibodies, or proteins directed against body tissue. Thus, Lupus is called an autoimmune disease. ”#

Lupus is an autoimmune disease that attacks women between the ages of 15 and 40. It occurs less often in men than in women. The people affected by lupus vary depending on the country or region. In the US alone, the prevalence rate is highest among Asians of Hawaii, blacks of Caribbean origin, and Native Americans of the Sioux, Arapahoe, and Crow tribes. Lupus is a disease that affects the immune system. We can think of the immune system as an army within the body with hundreds of defenders (known as antibodies). They defend the body from attack by germs and viruses. In lupus, however, the immune system becomes overactive and creates antibodies that attack healthy tissues in the body, such as: the skin, kidneys, lungs, heart and brain.

Systemic lupus erythematosus, or simply lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease or immune system malfunction. A person's immune system normally protects the person from viruses, bacteria and other foreign materials. When a person has an autoimmune diseases like lupus, the immune system turns against itself and attacks itself.

Szuda, Stephanie “Health: Life with Lupus.” The Times. 11 Jan 2008. 19 Nov 2010. <Mywebtimes.com>

Juvenile lupus is a “disease in which the immune system is overactive and does not function properly” (College of Rheumatology). As with many autoimmune conditions, the immune system attacks healthy tissues. In the case of juvenile lupus the immune system attacks different organs in the body, which results in painful inflammation in the child (College of Rheumatology). There are multiple possible factors included in the cause of juvenile lupus, like hormones and the environment, but because the cause of lupus is still unknown, no one really knows how to prevent it from happening in children (College of Rheumatology). There is no cure for lupus, but there are many successful treatments to help children and teens with juvenile lupus (College of Rheumatology).

Lupus is a rare and crippleing disease. This disease is as rare as it is hard to undertand. Lupus being a not well known disease is hard to pinpoint. This disease causes insufferable pain and body problems. Such a terrible disease causes syptoms like swelling muscles, joint pains, general inflamations, organ failures, and overall fatigue. Lupus is an autoimmune disease ( AKA the autoimmune sytem attacking itself). This autoimmune disease is most common in youge woman in birth bearing age. With little known reason

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) also referred to lupus dates back to the middle ages and has made an explosion in the past 60 years. Even though more than 1.5 million Americans have lupus and 90% of lupus sufferers are women, between the ages of 15 to 44 (Lupus Research Institute), there is little awareness about the disease. 72% of Americans aged 18-34 have either not heard of the disease or know nothing about it (Medical News Today). However, researchers continue on working to have a better understanding of SLE factors, pathophysiology, current treatment and new prospects for treatment.

It is not rare for individuals with lupus to undergo muscle throbs and discomfort or have inflammation of certain muscle groups, which causes faintness and loss of intensity. More than 90 percent of people with lupus will encounter joint and/or muscle pain at some time during the path of their illness. In lupus, the immune system of the body raids its own cells and tissues. Precisely, the joints, skin, kidneys, lungs, heart, nervous system, and other organs of the body are affected. Lupus affects generally 10 times as many women as men. Most often, lupus develops in people 18 to 45 years old. (Lahita) Though lupus is most dominant among women, it also may affect men and children, as well as individuals of all ages. Lupus effects each person

Lupus “is predominantly a disease of young women (most commonly affecting women between the ages of 15–45) but can affect men as well” (Hughes & Sangle 2012). “Women of color (Asian and African American) are two to three times more likely to develop Lupus than Northern European women” (Hughes & Sangle 2012). It is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects many parts of the human body including the immune system, joints, skin, and organs within the body. Normally, the human body would produce proteins (antibodies) that protect the body from invaders such as viruses, bacteria and germs. In the human body afflicted with Lupus, the body becomes “autoimmune” and the body is unable to tell the difference between foreign invaders such as those named

Lupus is a lifelong, autoimmune disease. This means that the immune system of a person with lupus cannot tell the difference between its own cells and what is foreign. This leads to the immune system attacking healthy tissue throughout the entire body.

Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease that causes swelling, pain, and inflammation throughout the body. An autoimmune disease is when the white blood cells inside a person’s body cannot tell the difference between healthy tissue and foreign invaders. That cause the white blood cells to attack and kill the tissue in body systems, including organs like the heart, brain, lungs, and kidneys. When diagnosing for lupus it is extremely difficult. This is because the signs and symptoms of Lupus often imitate those of other diseases. The sign that differentiates Lupus from other diseases, is a facial rash that resembles a butterfly across the cheeks and nose. This is an often seen sign but it doesn’t always occur. There are several types of Lupus including

Most experts can agree that there are a number of factors that cause it; the causes of Lupus are from a combination of genetics and the environment. Sometimes people inherit what is called a “genetic predisposition” which means that they inherit the chance to eventually develop it. It is very hard to pinpoint one single source of cause that triggers Lupus like I mentioned before. Things in the environment like UV rays from the sun, or unrelated things like an infection or a pregnancy can trigger it. The symptoms of Lupus range from Extreme fatigue, headaches, photosensitivity, pain/swollen joints, and one clear indicator being a butterfly-shaped rash across the cheek or nose.

Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease marked by its effect on various parts of the body, including the joints, skin, blood, and kidneys. It is a condition in which the body's immune system attacks its own cells and tissues, resulting in pain, inflammation, and often damage to organs. Lupus involves the immune system. The immune system makes antibodies that work to protect the body against foreign substances like viruses and bacteria. Such foreign bodies are called antigens. When a person has lupus, his or her body is unable to determine the difference between antigens and the individual's cells and body tissues. As such, the immune system creates antibodies against the individual's own tissues. These antibodies are called autoantibodies. Depending on the type of lupus, a wide range of symptoms may be experienced, from rashes, hair loss, and achy, swollen joints to fever, anemia, and abnormal blood clotting. Though the disease can affect many parts of the body, individuals usually experience symptoms in only a few organs. There is no known cure for lupus. However,

There are five different types of lupus: systemic lupus erythematosus, discoid lupus erythematosus, subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus, drug-induced lupus, neonatal lupus. Systemic lupus erythematosus, or SLE, is the most common form of lupus. The exact cause of SLE is unknown; however, recent research has pointed to genetics as its main factor that is mostly triggered by environmental factors. While the exact gene that causes lupus is unknown, research has suggested that multiple genes factor into the development of SLE (What is Lupus? 2009). Two genes have been linked to SLE from human leukocyte antigens (HLA), DRB1*03 and DRB1*02, predominately in Caucasian and black populations. These HLA alleles have shown a strong connection