Lupus: An Autoimmune Disease

Lupus is an autoimmune disease that causes many effects in different parts of the body. Below are the key facts about lupus erythematosus, commonly known as lupus.

What Is Lupus?

Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease, which means the immune system attacks healthy tissue. This can cause inflammation and pain in any part of the body. Lupus commonly affects the following parts of the body:

1. The skin.
2. The joints.
3. The kidneys.
4. The heart.

Because lupus affects so many parts of the body, it can cause many different symptoms. There is no single known cause of the autoimmune processes behind lupus. It is not caused by infectious bacteria and cannot be passed from one person to another.

Types of Lupus

There are several types of lupus, including:

1. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), one of the most common types.
2. Cutaneous lupus, which affects only the skin.
3. Drug-induced lupus, a lupus-like illness caused by certain prescription medicines.
4. Neonatal lupus, a rare condition affecting babies of women who have lupus.

Symptoms of Lupus

General symptoms associated with lupus include:

1. Fever.
2. Loss of appetite.
3. Nausea.
4. Muscle and joint pain.
5. Fatigue.
6. A facial rash known as the butterfly rash.
7. Sensitivity to sunlight.
8. Chest pain.
9. Poor circulation in the fingers and toes when exposed to cold, known as Raynaud's phenomenon.

Contributing Factors

Factors that increase the likelihood of lupus include:

1. Genetic factors.
2. Illness or infection.
3. Sunlight.
4. Hormonal changes, such as those that happen during puberty.
5. Smoking cigarettes.
6. Certain medicines.

Diagnosis

To be diagnosed with lupus, a patient must have four of eleven common signs of the disease. Tests used to diagnose lupus may include:

1. Antinuclear antibody (ANA) test.
2. Chest X-ray.
3. Blood creatinine level.
4. Urine test.
5. Kidney and liver function tests.
6. Rheumatoid factor test.
7. Complement component tests.
8. Kidney biopsy.
9. Imaging tests of the heart, brain, lungs, joints, muscles or intestines.

Treatment

The aim of treatment is to control the symptoms. People with lupus also need ongoing assessment and follow-up by specialists.

Possible Complications

Possible complications of lupus include:

1. Blood clots and inflammation of the blood vessels.
2. Pericarditis (inflammation of the lining around the heart).
3. Heart attack.
4. Stroke.
5. Changes in memory.
6. Changes in behaviour.
7. Inflammation of the lung tissue.
8. Inflammation of the kidneys.
9. Reduced kidney function.