Lupus Research Paper

     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.

Lupus does not have a known cause, and because of that it has no known cure. The exact cause of lupus is unknown, but scientists suspect that it is likely to be a combination of factors, people who contract lupus are probably genetically predisposed to lupus, and know that environmental factors such as infections, antibodies, ultraviolet light, extreme stress and certain drugs play a critical role in

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

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease. The cause of the disease is unknown is still unknown today. Some researchers would lean it being caused by genetics being, that it mostly effects Asians and African Americans and is more prevalent in women than in men. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus disease causes the body's immune system to attack the healthy tissues accidently. It can affect the joints, skin, kidneys, brain, and other organs. Although, certain drugs can cause Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus can unknowingly happen at any age. Studies show that it appears mostly between the ages of 15-44. In the United States the reported prevalence of SLE is 20 to 150 cases per 100,000.

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.

SLE is idiopathic, which means that the cause of the disease is unknown. It is linked to having several factors that can effect it. For example, genetics, environmental factors, and gender and/or hormones. “The disease is not linked to a certain gene, but people with lupus often have family members with other autoimmune conditions. There may be environmental triggers like ultraviolet rays, certain medications, a virus, physical or emotional stress, and trauma. SLE affects more women than men. Women also experience worsening of symptoms during pregnancy and with their menstrual periods. Both of these observations have led some medical professionals to believe that the female hormone estrogen may play a role in causing SLE. However, more research is still needed to prove this theory” (Herndon, n.d.). Our patient’s causes are unknown of why he has Systemic Lupus. We do know through patient history a previous family member does have an autoimmune disease. Also, from his frequent sun exposure he has developed a skin rash on his extremities and face.

Even though cause of Lupus is unknown and there’s no way to prevent it people still have a lifelong expectancy span. Living with Lupus the quality of life is generally comprised. They may have a hard time trying to explain their limitations to friends or colleagues. They may even experience sleep disturbance and have to avoid sun exposure because sun exposure can trigger flare ups. Lupus can put restraints on life plans. Due to everyday problems of flare ups, treatments, depression and frequent hospital

Lupus is an invisible disease because it is invisible to the eye, government, and medical test. Some lupus symptoms are invisible and can mimic other diseases. Some people do not notice muscle aches, fatigue, joint pain, difficulty processing information, memory loss, and chest pain. These are symptoms that people have that are not noticeable, you can not see this happening while it happens. These symptoms can be mimics of other things that could have these same symptoms, so this may be why lupus so hard to find and treat early in the stage. Another invisible symptoms is heartburn, you can have heart burn from many different things depending on what you eat or drink.

When people think of the condition Lupus, they usually have their own distorted views on it. Even though lupus is mainly a women’s disease, men are also prone to the disease on rare occasions. Over 90% of lupus sufferers are young women around the ages of 15 to 44. Lupus is a very chronic and complex autoimmune disease which affects more than 1.5 millions Americans alone. Due to Lupus’ uncontrollable symptoms and it's ability to mimic other diseases, there is no single laboratory test which could definitely identify the illness it makes it much difficult to be diagnose. If the disease can be diagnosed early it's ability to progress and become more severe decrease. Whether they’ve heard myths that depict Lupus as a sexually transmitted disease

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,

Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease that occurs when your body’s immune system attacks your own tissues and organs. The inflammation caused by lupus can affect many body systems including the following: joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, heart and lungs. Lupus occurs more frequently in women than in men. There are four different types of Lupus that exist. They are Systemic lupus erythematosus, Discoid lupus erythematosus, Drug-induced erythematosus, and Neonatal lupus. The most common and most serious type is Systemic lupus erythematosus. Previously the outlook for people with lupus was grim, but diagnosis and treatment of lupus has improved quite a bit. With proper treatment, most people can lead happy and active lives. This

For most people, Lupus is a mild disease affecting only a few organs. For others, it may cause serious and even life-threatening problems. People with Lupus are recommended to have regular medical appointments and take medications as prescribed. One of the most frustrating things for a Lupus patient is being sick. A person can look nice and healthy although they feel very bad inside. Another challenge is that there are no treatments for the most common complaint of Lupus patients: fatigue and memory loss.

As no lupus patients have similar symptoms, they don’t have an identical set of triggers. However, the common triggers include Stress, infection, sun exposure, or even seasonal flue. When you identify trigger within time, you can put in best efforts