Lupus

Overview

Lupus is a chronic, inflammatory and autoimmune disease where the immune system of the body starts attacking its own tissues and organs. It is more common in women than in men. Most of the patients of lupus can lead a normal life with treatment.

Types

There are four distinct types of lupus.

• Discoid or Cutaneous Lupus: It is limited to the skin, usually appearing as a rash. This type of lupus can become systemic and can affect internal organs, but in most of the cases, it is restricted to only skin. Discoid lupus is a less severe form than systemic lupus.

• Systemic Lupus: It affects bodily organs such as kidneys, lungs, other organ tissues and even blood is affected by the disease. Symptoms may vary from person to person.

• Drug-Induced Lupus: It results from the usage of prescription drugs and mimics systemic lupus in its impact. The symptoms of this form of lupus usually disappear when the person stops the medication that has triggered the disease.

• Neonatal Lupus: It is a rare form of lupus that affects the skin, but can affect the heart and blood of newborn babies because of certain auto antibodies, genetically inherited from their mother. It's not a systemic form of the disease and typically causes a rash on the newborn that disappears after lasting for several months.

Symptoms

The most common lupus symptoms are swelling in the joints, arthritis, aching joints, fatigue, fever, rashes (particularly a rash across the nose and cheeks that are butterfly-shaped, but the rashes can be anywhere), anemia, chest pain while breathing, sensitivity to sunlight, loss of hair and kidney problems. In case your kidneys get affected by the disease, the symptoms may seem to be more serious.

Causes/Risk Factors

It is still not clear that what causes lupus, though certain antibiotics, infections, stress and certain hormones are believed to be responsible. Women are 10 to 15 times more likely to develop lupus than men. African Americans, American Indians and Asians are the most susceptible ethnic groups to develop the disease. Patients under treatment, given medications like hydralazine and procainamide are more prone to drug-induced lupus rather than the individuals on other medications.

Tests/Diagnosis

There is no lab test available to confirm the diagnosis of lupus. Other ailments with similar symptoms are typically ruled out through testing and then a sufferer's symptoms are compared with a list of 11 criteria used to diagnose lupus. You must fulfill at least four criteria for the confirmation of the disease.

Treatment

Treatment for lupus usually includes medication like steroids, NSAIDs or anti-inflammatory medications, immunosuppressive drugs and some drugs used to treat malaria, may be helpful for some patients. Limiting exposure to causes that trigger inflammation such as sunlight, preventing flares (time period when a disease get worsened) is important in treating the disease.