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.
Symptoms can vary between each
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• Hair loss.
• Mouth sores.
• Sensitivity to sunlight.
Majority of people with SLE have joint pain and swelling that develops into arthritis. SLE patients often a have problems with use of their fingers, hands, wrists, and knees.
To be diagnosed with lupus, you must have 4 out of 11 signs of the disease. Some of the test that are use are the following:
• Antinuclear antibody (ANA)
• CBC with differential
• Chest x-ray
• Serum creatinine
• Urinalysis
There is no cure for SLE but there is treatment to control symptoms. The Disease may be treated with:
• NSAIDs for joint symptoms and pleurisy.
• Low doses of corticosteroids, such as prednisone, for skin and arthritis symptoms.
• Corticosteroid creams for skin rashes.
• Hydroxychloroquine, a drug also used to treat malaria.
• Belimumab
There are also support groups and counseling that can help with emotional issues. It’s also important for people with lupus to:
• Wear protective clothing, sunglasses, and sunscreen when in the sun.
• Get preventive heart care.
• Stay up-to-date with immunizations.
• Have tests to screen for thinning of the bones (osteoporosis).
• Avoid tobacco and drink minimal amounts of
Each day I face a challenge to manage and live with Lupus. I was diagnosed with Systemic Lupus in May 2002. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is the form of the disease that most people refer to when they say “lupus.” The word “systemic” means the disease can affect many parts of the body
If a person has lupus there are places to get help. The Lupus Foundation of America provides a lot of help for lupus’ patients. For help you can write to them at: Lupus Foundation of America, 1300 Piccard Drive, Suite 200, Rockville, MD 20850.
The exact cause for Lupus is unknown; however experts believe that some people are born with certain genes that affect how your immune system works. It appears that people with inherited predisposition for Lupus may develop this disease when they come in contact with “triggers.” Some potential triggers are: sunlight, infections, and medications. Sunlight exposure can lead to Lupus skin lesions, or trigger and internal response in susceptible people. Having an infection can initiate Lupus, or causes a relapse in symptoms. Also some anti-seizure, blood pressure, and antibiotic medications can trigger Lupus. People who have drug induced Lupus noticed their symptoms go away once they stopped taking the
The unique symptom of lupus can be the butterfly rash and red patches on the patient's face, yet other symptoms can be easily misdiagnosed because it "often mimics those of other ailments."(3) Some of the symptoms affect the skin, brain, and joints. Skin symptoms can be rashes, unusual hair loss, or swelling in the leg or around the eyes. Furthermore, brain symptoms can be confusion, memory disturbances, and seizures. For the joints, pain and swellings can be
Fatigue is the most common symptom of lupus. If you feel an excessive tiredness, especially during daytime, and if you are incapable of performing your usual daily activities, you should consult your doctor.
Diagnosis: When trying to diagnose lupus the first evaluation done by the doctor is looking for signs of rash, inflammation, heat and redness, also asking for symptoms, taking laboratory tests, medical history from close family members such as brothers, sisters, parents, and grandparents.
Systematic lupus Erythematous (SLE or Lupus) can affect any organ in the body and may cause a wide range of symptoms. SLE symptoms can vary from person to person and can change over time. Lupus affects 1.5 million Americans and millions more worldwide lupus.org (N.d) 2016. The cause of lupus is unknown some research have found genetics and hormones are to play a role. The majorities of people with lupus 90% are female, and they seemed to develop signs and symptoms of the illness between the ages of 15 and 44 (2016). Children are affected with lupus. Approximately 5,000 to 10,000 of the million Americans with lupus are diagnosed while under the age of 18 (2016).African American women are three times more likely than Caucasian women to get lupus
Studies have stated that between 1.5 million Americans, and at least five million people worldwide, have a form of lupus. "Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body (skin,
Lupus is an autoimmune disease that produces antibodies in the body. The antibodies in turn cause harm to the body in the form of
The most common symptoms are fatigue, rashes, or joint pain. Other symptoms that might develop are skin problems, sensitivity to light, neuropsychiatric problems, fever, changes in weight, hair loss, and/or swollen glands. Some specific skin problems are skin rashes, i.e., the facial butterfly rash. Raynaud's phenomenon is often common, affecting the fingers, toes, ears, or tip of the nose. About 90% of lupus patients have fatigue in various degrees. Symptoms depend on what body organs are affected and how seriously they are affected. This disease can cause problems in nearly any system of the body, including the:
Lupus can also have similarity of other autoimmune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis’s this also make it difficult to diagnosis. There is no specific test that can determine if a person has lupus usually it test serval test and many months to diagnose. Physician my use medical history, complete physical examine, blood test, and skin and kidney biopsy. One’s diagnose it will take a team of specialty physicians such as Rheumatologist, for the swelling joint Clinical immunologist to treat the immune system disorder, Nephrologist for the Kidney, Hematologist to treat the anemia, Dermatologist to treat the skin, Cardiologist for heart and blood vessel problem, Endocrinologist for the hormonal issue Neurologist to treat the nervous system problem, Psychologist and Social work. In addition, primary physician and the nurse to assist the patient with their care. These physicians will develop a treatment plan that will design to the patient specific
There are different types of lupus such as neonatal lupus, systemic lupus, drug induced lupus and subacute cutaneous lupus. Neonatal lupus is a condition where the mother antibodies attack and affect the fetus, systemic lupus affects tissues and organs in the body such as heart, kidneys, brain, drug induced lupus are caused by high dose of medications and subacute cutaneous affects only the skin. The signs and symptoms of lupus are chronic. Signs and symptoms of lupus includes fatigue, fever, joint pain, stiffness and swelling, chest pain, dry eyes, headaches, confusion, memory loss, hair loss, kidney problems and swollen joints. Most individuals do not experience symptoms on the daily but instead there are different times when symptoms appear also known as lupus flares. There are many complications of lupus which includes blockages of the blood vessels leading to the brain which can cause strokes, inflammation of the heart which can cause chest pain and heart disease. The complications of lupus can also cause depression and problem with short-term
It can be developed within the first five years after SLE symptoms have occurred. Up to 60 percent of people with SLE are diagnosed with lupus nephritis (Lee et al., 2010). There is about a 2/3 chance for children with lupus to develop complications with the kidney that need medical attention. It is hard to determine any signs that may develop showing that anything is wrong within the early stages of lupus nephritis. It is important to get screened for an early detection to avoid major complications that may develop (Brent,
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a fairly common disease identified as episodes of inflammation and damage to joints, tendons, and various organs. The most effected organs are the heart, lungs, brain, kidneys, blood vessels, and skin. Lupus affects each individual differently and the effects could be mild to severe depending on the individual. SLE is an autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system attacks the healthy cells and tissues in the body (Ohio State, 2009).
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus is a chronic autoimmune disease which causes inflammation of your joints, tissues, and organs. The inflammation presents itself as heat, pain, swelling and redness. SLE is a variable disease that doesn’t take any one particular course; therefore its unpredictability makes it even more devastating. No two people will experience the same disease symptoms or severity level. As S.L.E progresses there will be periods of very subtle to no symptoms at all called remission or an exacerbation of symptoms called flares.