Systemic Lupus In African Americans

     In conclusion Lupus is definitely a very serious disease that we must learn more about. My great aunt had Lupus for over ten years and during that time suffered in ways no person should have to. She would fall down constantly and break bones. Near the end of her life, she would break bones doing stuff as simple as getting out of bed.

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>

ANA: test for these autoantibodies (very general); DsDNA (+): Making antibodies to and attacking own DNA; Anti-Sm (+): these antibodies generally interfere with the cells metabolism and are responsible for the symptoms specifically seen with SLE. Here, they are specifically targeted at smooth muscle. CRP elevated: also indicates presence of inflammation, but is more specific towards disease activity; ESR elevated: indirectly indicates the activity of the disease and presence of inflammation; C3 and C4 (decreased): C3 and C4 usually attack the membranes of viruses and bacteria, but in the case of lupus, they attack the own body’s cells. When C3 and C4 suggest the disease is active

“The majority of people with Lupus are female, and most first develop signs and symptoms of the illness between the ages of 15 and 44.” (S.L.E. Lupus Foundation). Lupus discriminates against African American, Latina, and Native American Women. “African-American women are three times more likely to get Lupus than Caucasian women and the disease is two times more prevalent in Asian-American

Approximately 1.5 million americans (5 million worldwide) live with lupus, but lupus is more common in women of African American and Native American than Caucasian women. More than 16,000 people are diagnosed with lupus each year. Everyone can get lupus but it’s mostly common in women and the specific type of women is African American women. Lupus is a systemic autoimmune disease driven by the inflammation in the immune system. Women of color are 2 to 3 times more likely to develop lupus than a Caucasian women. 90 percent of the people diagnosed with lupus are young women. Black women are diagnosed at much higher rates and are more likely to experience complications from the disease. There should me more research done, they should spend more

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.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a disease in which a person’s own immune system begins to recognize its own tissues and organs as foreign antigens which causes it to attack and injure those targeted structures (Perspectives 14). Discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) causes coin-shaped lesions to appear on the skin and does not affect any other system other than the integumentary (Perspectives 23). As stated on the Mayo Clinic website the etiology of the disease is idiopathic, but it is believed that environmental factors and inherited genetic code may contribute to the formation of lupus. Lupus can also be triggered by sunlight, infections, and medications such as anti-seizure and hypertension prescriptions (Mayo Clinic). Iatrogenic cases of the disease often have their symptoms reduced or eradicated after stopping those medications (Mayo Clinic). Diagnosis of the disease is based upon criteria set in place by the American College of Rheumatology as lupus often affects the muscle and joints (Lupus.org). The list is comprised of eleven common signs and symptoms that have been observed by rheumatologists. They are: Malar or

Systematic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic, systemic, autoimmune disease. This condition causes the body to mistaken its own tissues and organs as foreign bodies and begins attacking them causing continuing inflammation and pain. (Huether & McCance, 2012) The cause of SLE still remains unknown, but it is possible that is inherited as a complex trait or caused by environmental stimuli. (S) Anyone is at risk for Lupus, but is more common among women than men and is more prevalent of African Americans and Asians. (National Library of Medicine 2010, para 2) This condition can be difficult to diagnose, as a patient must present a number of the recognizable symptoms. Depending on the location that Lupus presents itself in the body, the symptoms

Lupus is nearly three times more prevalent among minority women than among white women. Black women in their “child-bearing age” are the most at risk group when it comes to lupus. According to the Lupus Foundation of America, statistics show that approximately 1 out of 537 black women is affected by lupus (“What is Lupus,” 2013). Although large groups of minority women are generally attacked by lupus, anyone, including adult men, adult women, and teenagers, are susceptible to develop lupus between the ages of fifteen and forty- four (“What is Lupus,” 2013). Though this condition is found difficult to diagnose, lupus shuts down vital organs so early detection is imperative to guarantee a better overall health outcome. While it is imperative for victims to seek medical assistance when symptoms initially occur, everyone is not given equal access to proficient and affordable health care

Most know Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) as simply lupus. It is difficult to diagnose and treat but the symptoms can be mentally and physically devastating for any patient. Many may not realize the extent to which a person with SLE is affected on a day to day basis. It is important for healthcare professionals to understand the disease process, including the cause, signs, symptoms, and treatment of SLE. By understanding the aforementioned, healthcare professionals can assist with reporting signs and symptoms to the patient’s doctor to further reach a correct diagnosis, but to provide holistic care to the patient. SLE is a heterogeneous autoimmune disease which means the body’s immune system fallaciously attacks healthy tissues and various organs, in this case, primarily the skin , joints, kidneys, and brain of both men and women.

Makover, M. & Zieve, D. (2011, February 14). Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved July

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.