The immune system is designed to attack foreign substances in the body.
If you have lupus, something goes wrong with your immune system and it attacks healthy cells
and tissues. This can damage many parts of the body such as the:
Joints
Skin
Kidneys
Heart
Lungs
Blood vessels
Brain
There are many kinds of lupus. The most common type, systemic
lupus erythematosus, affects many parts of the body. Other types of lupus are:
Discoid lupus erythematosus - causes a skin rash that doesn't go away
Subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus - causes skin sores on parts of the body exposed to sun
Drug-induced lupus - can be caused by medications
Neonatal lupus - a rare type of lupus that affects newborns
Who Gets Lupus?
Anyone can get lupus, but it most often affects women. Lupus is also more common in women
of African American, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American descent than in Caucasian women.
What Causes Lupus?
The cause of lupus is not known. It is likely that many factors trigger the disease.
What Are the Symptoms of Lupus?
Symptoms of lupus vary, but some of the most common symptoms of lupus are:
Pain or swelling in joints
Muscle pain
Fever with no known cause
Red rashes, most often on the face
Chest pain when taking a deep breath
Hair loss
Pale or purple fingers or toes
Sensitivity to the sun
Swelling in legs or around eyes
Mouth ulcers
Swollen glands
Feeling very tired
Less common symptoms include:
Anemia (a decrease in red blood cells)
Headaches
Dizzy spells
Feeling sad
Confusion
Seizures
Symptoms may come and go. The times when a person is having symptoms are called
flares, which can range from mild to severe. New symptoms may appear at any time.
How Is Lupus Diagnosed?
There is no single test to diagnose lupus. It may take months or years
for a doctor to diagnose lupus. Your doctor may use many tools to make a diagnosis:
Medical history
Complete exam
Blood tests
Skin biopsy (looking at skin samples under a microscope
Kidney biopsy (looking at tissue from your kidney under a microscope)
How Is Lupus Treated?
You may need special kinds of doctors to treat the many symptoms of lupus.
Your health care team may include:
A family doctor
Rheumatologists - doctors who treat arthritis and other diseases that cause swelling in the joints
Clinical immunologists - doctors who treat immune system disorders
Nephrologists - doctors who treat kidney disease
Hematologists - doctors who treat blood disorders
Dermatologists - doctors who treat skin diseases
Neurologists - doctors who treat problems with the nervous system
Nurses
Psychologists
Social workers
Your doctor will develop a treatment plan to fit your needs. You and your doctor should
review the plan often to be sure it is working. You should report new symptoms
to your doctor right away so that treatment can be changed if needed.
The goals of the treatment plan are to:
Prevent flares
Treat flares when they occur
Reduce organ damage and other problems
Treatments may include drugs to:
Reduce swelling and pain
Prevent or reduce flares
Calm the immune system
Reduce or prevent damage to joints
Alternative treatments are those that are not part of standard treatment.
No research shows that this kind of treatment works for people with lupus.
You should talk to your doctor about alternative treatments.
What Can I Do?
It is vital that you take an active role in your treatment.
One key to living with lupus is to know about the disease and
its impact. Being able to spot the warning signs of a flare can
help you prevent the flare or make the symptoms less severe.
Many people with lupus have certain symptoms just before a flare, such as:
Feeling more tired
Pain
Rash
Fever
Stomach ache
Headache
Dizziness
You should see your doctor often, even when symptoms are
not severe. These visits will help you and your doctor to:
Look for changes in symptoms
Predict and prevent flares
Change the treatment plan as needed
Detect side effects of treatment
It is also important to find ways to cope with the stress of having
lupus. Exercising and finding ways to relax may make it easier for you to
cope. A good support system can also help. A support system may include
family, friends, community groups, or doctors. Many people with lupus have
found support groups to be very useful. Besides providing support, taking
part in a support group can make you feel better about yourself and help
you to keep a good outlook.
Learning more about lupus is very important. Studies have shown
that patients who are informed and involved in their own care:
Have less pain
Make fewer visits to the doctor
Feel better about themselves
Remain more active
What Do Pregnant Women With Lupus Need to Know?
Women with lupus can and do have healthy babies. There are a few things
to keep in mind if you are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant:
Most women with lupus carry their babies safely
Pregnant women with lupus should see their doctors often.
Lupus can flare during pregnancy
Quick treatment during a flare can keep the mother healthy
Doctors can help prevent flares
What Are Researchers Trying to Learn About Lupus?
Lupus is the focus of intense research. Studies are looking at:
The genes that play a role in lupus and in the immune system
Ways to change the immune system in people with lupus
Lupus in ethnic groups
Things in the environment that may cause lupus
The role of hormones in lupus
Birth control pills and hormone therapy in women with lupus
Heart disease in people with lupus
Drugs that lower cholesterol in children with lupus
The causes of nervous system damage in people with lupus
Source: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS),
in cooperation with the Arthritis Foundation Metropolitan Washington Chapter. Booklet Published on September 2005
Adapted by Editorial Staff, October 2007
Last update, August 2008
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