What is lupus?
年代ystemic lupus erythematosus(年代LE) is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system of the body attacks healthy tissue. It affects joints, skin, brain,lungs, kidneys, and blood vessels, leading to inflammation and tissue damage of the affected organs. More than 90% of cases occur in females.
What are the 12 symptoms of lupus?
Fatigue,fever,joint pain, and weight changes are usually the first signs of SLE. The 12 most common symptoms of SLE include the following:
- Fatigue/exhaustion
- Muscleweakness
- Arthralgia(中ntpain)
- 年代un sensitivity
- Butterfly shapedrashon the face
- Oral ulcers
- Blood cell abnormalities likeanemia
- Feverdue to Immunological abnormalities
- Loss of appetite
- Chest paincaused due to inflammation of the lining that surrounds the lung (pleuritis) and theheart(pericarditis)
- Raynaud'sphenomenon (poor blood circulation to the fingers and toes withcoldexposure)
- Vasculitis(inflammation of blood vessels)
年代ome adults may have a period of SLE symptoms known as flares which resolve and are separated by periods of remission. The frequency of flares and remission varies among people, sometimes extending to years.
Apart from the above symptoms, some people withlupusexperiencenausea,indigestion,abdominal pain, andconfusion.
How does a person get lupus?
The exact cause of SLE is unknown. Researchers believe a combination of environmental, genetic, and hormonal factors may contribute to gettinglupus.
Environmental factors include the following:
- Exposure to UV rays
- 微生物的响应
- 某些药物
- 年代ilica dust
- Cigarette smoking
- 年代ensitivity to light
Other risk factors include the following:
- Family history of SLE
- Female sex
- Chronic infections
- Use of estrogen in menopausal women
- Vitamin D deficiency
- Pregnancy(butbreastfeedinghas been shown to decrease the risk of SLE)
Early-life risk factors include the following:
- Low birth weight (<2,500 g)
- Preterm birth (birth that occurs before the 37th week ofpregnancy)
- Exposure to pesticides during childhood
What are the complications of lupus?
The complications that accompany SLE are as follows:
- Lupusnephritis (kidney problems caused byLupus)
- Dysphagia(difficulty in swallowing)
- Lymphadenopathy(swollen lymph nodes)
- Lupoidhepatitis(liver disease)
- 纤维肌痛症(muscle painand tenderness)
- Pancreatitis(inflammation in pancreas)
- Infections
- Coronaryheart disease(damage or disease in the heart’s major artery)
- Blood clots
IMAGES
年代ystemic Lupus ErythematosusBrowse our medical image collection to see of photos of autoimmune, vascular, and other systemic conditions年代ee ImagesHow do doctors diagnose lupus?
Physicians diagnose SLE with the help of the following laboratory tests:
- 年代pecial blood tests such as antinuclear antibodies, anti-double-stranded DNA tests, and antiphospholipid antibodies (lupusanticoagulant)
- Complete blood cell count (CBC) to screen foranemiaandthrombocytopenia
- 年代erumcreatinineforkidney disease
- Urinalysisfor kidney disease
- Erythrocytesedimentation rate(ESR) andC-reactive protein(CRP) for inflammation
- Liver functiontests
Radiographic tests such as computed tomography (CT) scan,magnetic resonance imaging(MRI), and joint radiograph also detect abnormalities.
Ultimately, askin biopsyis performed to confirm the diagnosis.
What is the treatment for lupus?
There is no permanent cure for SLE. Management of SLE depends on disease severity and disease manifestations.
Hydroxychloroquineis effective in the long-term treatment of SLE.
Immunosuppressive medicines help to inhibit the activity of the immune system, which can be useful in treating SLE.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatorydrugs(NSAIDs) andcorticosteroidshelp to treat inflammation andpainin the muscles, joints, and other tissues.
United States. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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