Lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus) affects roughly seven or eight times as many women as it does men. Heredity and hormones are thought to contribute to the disease, which may be triggered by exposure to the sun, severe stress, certain medications, infections, viruses and other unidentified environmental factors.
What are the symptoms
Patients can get some or all of the following:
What causes lupus
Lupus is an autoimmune disease, a condition in which the body’s defence mechanisms begin to attack itself through an excess of antibodies in the bloodstream causing inflammation and damage in the joints, muscles and other organs. The disease may be triggered by various means and can present in a bewildering number of ways, even to the extent of mimicking other diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or multiple sclerosis.
Lupus - The disease
Systemic lupus erythematosus has three phases - flare up, stabilization and remission - any one of which can last for months or years at a time. Since it attacks major organ systems, lupus can be disabling and even fatal, yet some people live with the disease for a lifetime. Although sophisticated diagnostic tests and a greater understanding of lupus have made diagnosis easier and more accurate, there is no "quick fix" for the disease. The patient and her or his health team - a combination of medical, community and family players - must be dedicated and diligent in monitoring the symptoms as well as the side-effects of the medication used to control the disease.
Discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) While not as serious as systemic, it can be irritating and painful to live with. It causes non-infectious, itchy red patches or lesions on the skin. Often these patches are disc-shaped, but lesions on the face frequently from the classic butterfly shape over the bridge of the nose and across the upper cheeks. Rashes most often occur on the face and neck, although they can also appear on arms, legs, the trunk and scalp, and even on the palms, fingertips and soles of feet. The lesions don’t usually last long, but they can remain for weeks, months, even years. The longer a lesion lasts, the greater the chance of scarring or baldness. The cause and cure of discoid lupus are unknown, but exposure to the sun can cause flare -ups. The most common treatment is to avoid the sun and treat rashes with cortisone or antimalarial drugs. In a small number of cases (less than 10%), people with discoid lupus will develop systemic lupus.
Drug induced Lupus
One form of lupus may be caused by prescription drugs such as Hydralazine (used to treat high blood pressure) and Procainamide (used to treat irregular heart beats). The symptoms fade when the drug use in discontinued.
More information
Lupus Home Page from Hamline University
European Lupus Erythematosus Federation