Lupus Facts
Lupus Facts
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| Interesting Lupus Facts: |
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| When Lupus develops it can attack many different parts of the body including the joints, skin, kidneys, lungs, heart, brain, and blood vessels. |
| The most common type of lupus is systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). |
| Less common types of lupus include discoid lupus erythematosus (which manifests as a skin rash that refuses to go away), subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (manifests as sores on the skin that is exposed to the sun), drug-induced lupus (manifests as a result of medications taken), and neonatal lupus (affects newborns). |
| Although anyone could develop lupus it is most common in women, especially between the ages of 15 and 35. |
| Lupus is more common in women of Native American, Asian, Hispanic, or African-American heritage. |
| The cause of lupus has not been determined. Genes are suspected as being part of what makes someone more susceptible to the disease, but other factors such as environment are also believed to play a role. |
| No single test to diagnose lupus exists. Instead it is diagnosed through the use of a variety of tools. A doctor (or doctors) may use medical history, examination, blood work, skin or kidney biopsies, or other available diagnostic tools to determine whether a person has lupus. |
| Lupus can't be cured but there are many types of treatments that can help when a flare up occurs. Medications to reduce pain and swelling, to boost the immune system, reduce joint damage, and to balance hormones may be prescribed. |
| Because of the number of different body systems that can be affected by lupus, there are a variety of doctors often included in patient care. These may include the family doctor, rheumatologist (arthritis and joint specialist), immunologist (immune system specialist), nephrologist (kidney specialist), haematologist (blood specialist), dermatologist (skin specialist), neurologist (nervous system specialist), cardiologist (heart and blood vessel specialist), endocrinologist (gland and hormone specialist), and psychologists. |
| Prior to being diagnosed a person may experience some of the most common signs and symptoms of lupus including fever, fatigue, joint swelling, joint pain, joint stiffness, a butterfly-shaped facial rash, skin lesions that worsen in the sun, Raynaud's phenomenon (toes and fingers turn blue or white when cold or when stressed), chest pain, shortness of breath, confusion, memory loss, headaches, and dry eyes. |
| People with lupus appear to be at greater risk for infections, cancer, complications during pregnancy, and bone tissue death. |
| In people with very serious forms of lupus the use of drugs to suppress the immune system. |
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