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News Releases
Understanding Lupus
Lupus can be a confusing disease. Some people simply have a rash, while others may face organ failure. How can one disease vary so much? October is National Lupus Awareness month and a good time to better understand this chronic autoimmune disease that affects more than 1.5 million Americans.
"There is a continuum in lupus with how many systems of the body are involved and how badly they are affected," says Deanna Davenport, a nurse practitioner who often works with lupus patients at the University of Missouri-Columbia Center for Rheumatic Diseases. "Vague initial symptoms and a lack of understanding of just how the diagnosis is made can confuse even providers."
Lupus is caused when the immune system attacks healthy body cells and tissue. Because many of the symptoms are like other chronic diseases, lupus is sometimes difficult for doctors to diagnose. Except for drug-induced lupus, the cause of this disease is unknown. There are three main types of lupus: systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), discoid lupus erythematosus, and drug-induced lupus.
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
Systemic lupus erythematosus or SLE is the most common form of lupus. The first signs of SLE usually occur between the ages of 15 and 45. Symptoms include swollen or painful joints, skin rash, fever, or fatigue. The bodyÕs immune system attacks and may damage the skin, organs or blood vessels. SLE can be as mild as a skin rash to severe, involving damage to multiple organs like the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain.
Although men can get SLE, nearly 90 percent of those with this form of lupus are women. African American women are three times more likely to have SLE than Caucasian women.
Treatment for SLE varies from person to person. Anti-inflammatory drugs, steroids, or immunosuppressive drugs may used to manage this form of lupus.
Discoid Lupus Erythematosus
Discoid lupus erythematosus, a less common form of lupus, manifests itself as red areas on the skin. The rash may last for years and make skin in the affected areas thick and scaly and lead to scarring. A steroid ointment or steroid injection may be used to treat this condition.
Drug-Induced Lupus
Like SLE, the symptoms of this form of lupus are skin rash, fever, chest pain and swollen or painful joints. Unlike "true" SLE, this condition is caused by medication. The brain and kidneys are not usually affected when lupus results from drugs and the problem usually goes away.
"A diagnosis of lupus does not automatically mean the patient has a life-threatening illness that will definitely progress to death," says Davenport. "Many patients with lupus do very well once treatment is established." Living a healthy, normal life with lupus is possible... and within reach. For more information on lupus, visit http://www.arthritis.org or http://www.lupus.org or http://www.marrtc.org.
As part of the MU Health Communication Research Center (HCRC), MARRTC's mission is to become a national leader in the areas of disability management and communication, improve the quality of life and promote independent living among people who have arthritis and arthritic conditions. MARRTC's core message is "Disability is everyone's issue."
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