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NetWellness provides the highest quality health information and education services created and evaluated by faculty of our partner universities.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
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NetWellness provides the highest quality health information and education services created and evaluated by faculty of our partner universities.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
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Lupus is an acute and chronic (long-term) disease in which the immune system, for unknown reasons, starts attacking normal tissue, especially the skin, joints, blood and kidneys. With this kind of disorder, the body cannot tell the difference between foreign substances (antigens) and the body's own organs and tissues. The immune system gets confused and starts making antibodies that attack its own organs. These antibodies react with the body's own antigens to form "immune complexes." The immune complexes build up and become inflamed (swell and get red and painful) causing pain and injury to tissues.
Most of the time, the body uses inflammation to protect itself from further injury. For example, when you have a sprained ankle, the swelling and pain keep you from walking on it and making it worse (giving your ankle a chance to heal itself). Inflammation also usually helps the body get rid of foreign organisms (like a virus, bacteria). Swelling, redness, pain and warmth are all signs of inflammation. However, if it lasts too long (as it does sometimes with lupus), it can cause damage to the organs and tissues it is affecting. The most severe form of lupus is systemic lupus erythematosus (S.L.E.), which can affect almost any part of the body, and has a wide variety of symptoms. Other forms of lupus are discoid and drug-related.
Follow these links to learn more about the symptoms of, and treatments for, lupus.
The following factors appear to influence whether a person will get S.L.E., and how the disease progresses if one has it:
Sometimes S.L.E. symptoms become worse in those who have the disease because of:
These factors can influence both mental and physical functioning of patients of all races, both sexes and all socioeconomic groups.
S.L.E. is ten times more common among adult females than adult men.1 The symptoms are the same for both sexes. However, in women, the symptoms of lupus tend to get worse before menstrual periods and also during pregnancy. This makes some researchers think that hormones might play a role in why women are more likely to get lupus - estrogen (a female hormone) may be involved.
This graph shows that women die from lupus more often than men, based on 1999 statistics:
There is no known way to prevent lupus, and a cure has not yet been identified. However, S.L.E. can generally be controlled with medications. A large percentage of people with S.L.E. lead a normal lifestyle and live out an average lifespan. Many people have careers and family. Some may find themselves facing limitations and lifestyle changes- the situation is different for each person.
Many employers are willing to make changes in the work place to accommodate employees with S.L.E. Vocational rehabilitation (career retraining) may help you find a career suited to your physical needs. If working is no longer possible, there are state and federal disability programs in place for individuals with lupus.
Maintaining an optimistic outlook, taking advantage of social support from friends and family, and accepting the disease as part of your life can all have a positive impact on the course that the disease takes. You may want to:
Find a lupus support group. The Lupus Foundation of America is an organization with excellent programs. There are many "virtual" support groups on the Internet, as well as in-person networks of individuals with lupus.
Educate friends and family, and enlist their help. Often, S.L.E. is not an easy disease for others to understand. You may have no visible symptoms. It is important to help friends and family get a sense what you are going through, and to accept their help when it is available.
Maintain a social life. It is not always easy to push yourself to get out and enjoy the company of others. And you will need to choose outings that fit your comfort level. Be creative and you will find ways to enjoy others without taxing yourself. Be proactive and stay in touch with friends.
1Lahita, RG, "Causes, Symptoms, Testing, Treatment," Lupus Foundation of America, 1998. (http://www.lupus.org).
2Alarcón GS, et al. Systemic lupus erythematosus in three ethnic groups: III. A comparison of characteristics early in the natural history of the LUMINA cohort. Lupus in minority populations: Nature vs. Nurture. Lupus 1999; (3): 197-209 (appears in http://www.niams.nih.gov/ne/highlights/spotlight/2000/lumina.htm)
Last Reviewed: Mar 31, 2006
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Evelyn V. Hess, MD,MACP,MACR Division of Immunology and Allergy Department of Internal Medicine College of Medicine University of Cincinnati |
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Please note: only your personal physician or other health professional you consult can best advise you on matters of your health based on your medical history, your family medical history, your medication history, and how information from any of these databases may apply to you. Neither University of Cincinnati (NetWellness) nor any party involved in creating, producing or delivering this web site shall be liable for any damages arising out of access to or use of this web site, or any errors or omissions in the content thereof. (More) 
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