Lupus, an autoimmune disorder that currently affects almost 2 million Americans, is characterized as a hyperactive immune disorder, which causes an attack on normal, healthy tissue and results in inflammation, swelling, and damage to the joints, skin, kidneys, blood, the heart and lungs. Systemi Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a more severe type of the disease due to its effects on internal organ systems of the body.
Some Statistics on Lupus
While lupus is present in about 2 million Americans including 200 per 100,000 African Americans, it also affects 40 out of 100,000 Northern Europeans. Individuals are typically diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 45, with the rate of women affected being nine times higher than men. This particular statistic is indicative of a potential link between the possible causes of lupus and hormones.
What is the Prognosis?
Contrary to popular belief, lupus generally is not a fatal disease. With modern medicine, ongoing research and new developments in the field, 80 to 90 percent of lupus sufferers can expect to live a normal life span. In cases where lupus is fatal, the cause is often related to overwhelming infection or organ failure.
What are the Typical Symptoms?
Depending on the severity of the case and type of lupus, symptoms vary. Like most autoimmune
conditions, there are periods of relapse and remission that can be somewhat unpredictable. Here is a comprehensive overview of symptoms:
+ Joint pain and swelling
+ Development of arthritis (frequently affected joints are the fingers, hands, wrists, and knees)
+ Chest pain when taking a deep breath
+ Fatigue
+ Fever with no other cause
+ General discomfort, uneasiness or ill feeling (malaise)
+ Hair loss
+ Mouth sores
+ Sensitivity to sunlight
+ Skin rash (a “butterfly” rash over the cheeks and bridge of the nose affects about half of people
with SLE)
+ Swollen lymph nodes
+ Headaches
+ Mild cognitive impairment
+ Numbness, tingling, or pain in the arms or legs
+ Personality change
+ Psychosis
+ Risk of stroke
+ Seizures
+ Vision problems
+ Digestive tract: abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting
+ Heart: abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias)
+ Kidney: blood in the urine
+ Lung: coughing up blood and difficulty breathing
+ Skin: patchy skin color, fingers that change color when cold (Raynaud’s phenomenon)
Keep an eye out for our future posts on a breakdown of classes of lupus, and testing and treatment options. In the meantime, if you genuinely suspect that you or a loved one is affected by lupus, contact your physician immediately.
Sources:
Bloomberg Businessweek – FDA Approves 1st New Lupus Drug In 50 Years: http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/650740.html
Lupus Foundation of America, Inc. – Understanding Lupus: http://www.lupus.org/answers/topic/understanding-lupus
Medical News Today – What is Lupus? http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/lupus/
PubMed Health – Systematic Lupus Erythematosus: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001471/
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