Lupus Erythematosus Research Paper

Lupus Lupus erythematosus is a disease where a person’s immune system attacks the body’s own organs and tissues. It causes inflammation of connective tissue which holds different structures of the body in place. This disease is believed to be an autoimmune disorder. There are two types of lupus erythematosus which are discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Lupus happens in both males and females of all ages, but it is most commonly found in women. Half a million people have this disease in the United States; one out of six hundred humans have lupus. Nine out of ten women have systemic lupus erythematosus, and seven out of ten have discoid lupus erythematosus. The American College of Rheumatology says,
“Lupus affects 10 times as many women as men.” African Americas and Asian Americans are affected more often than people from other races and ethnicities. It is said that ninety percent of lupus patients are women with ages ranging from ten to fifty. The essential cause of lupus erythematosus is unknown, but assumptions have been brought about.
Though deadly, this disease is not contagious; it cannot be caught or passed on by someone who does have lupus. The Lupus Foundation of America says “Lupus is not like or related to HIV (Human Immune Deficiency Virus) or AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). In HIV or AIDS, the immune system is under-active; in lupus, the immune system is overactive.” Researchers suspect that it arises through the interaction of genetics, environmental, and possible hormonal factors. Ten percent of all cases are caused by prescription drugs which are used for irregular heart beat or high blood pressure. Symptoms may withdraw when the medications are halted. The elderly are more susceptible to acquire drug induced systemic lupus erythematosus. Ninety percent of SLE and DLE causes are not known with
certainty. Heredity is said to play a role in the causes of lupus. It has been determined on David Newton’s SICK! that “a person with a close relative who has SLE is more likely to develop the disease than someone who has does not.” The likelihood increases if a woman has identical twins with SLE. Hormones may also play a factor because women are more likely to acquire lupus than men. Environmental influences are believed to play a role; they may be triggered by bacteria, virus, extreme stress, exposure to sunlight, antibiotics, or food additives. Not everyone gets lupus because they caught a particular virus or bacteria, are stressed out about something in their lives, took a certain antibiotic, or ate a certain food. Antibodies called auto antibodies react with certain chemical components of cells in the body causing inflammation and damage to organs and tissues. Symptoms differentiate and vary on the individuals according to the parts of the body affected and the degree of severity. Symptoms may come and go; sometimes they may go away for weeks or even months. Just because lupus is mostly occurring in women, it does not signify symptoms are less severe on men. Discoid lupus erythematosus is the most common lupus, and it affects the skin. DLE produces a rash of thickened, scaly, and reddish patches on the face and sometimes on other parts of the body. The rash has a butterfly shape where it spreads over the bridge of the nose to the cheeks. After months of healing, a scar may remain on the face. Exposure to sunlight seems to trigger and make the rash worse. Sometimes during the winter season, the patches may disappear. People who have discoid lupus erythematosus are in good health, but if it is not cared for properly, the condition may worsen and progress into systemic lupus erythematosus. Systemic lupus erythematosus starts off with a butterfly rash similar to the one of DLE, but symptoms are likewise severe. Most of all the people with SLE procure joint pain and swelling. Some patients develop arthritis. SLE is classified in the same family of diseases that rheumatoid arthritis is; arthritis is the disorder that causes painful inflammation in the joints. Symptoms like weakness, extreme fatigue, fever, sensitivity to sunlight, and weight loss may arise. Chest pains may happen when taking in deep breaths. Internal organs may be affected by SLE causing serious disorders. Kidney malfunction, unfortunately, is extremely common in systemic lupus erythematosus, and uremia which is the buildup of toxic substances in blood because of the kidney failure, can be fatal. When the brain and nervous system are affected, psychological problems occur like headaches, seizures, and personality changes. The digestive tract also gets damaged; symptoms like abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting develop. The heart is affected causing abnormal heart rhythms; the lungs pick up on the disease and blood may be coughed up with difficulty breathing. In the blood if antibodies, anti-phospholipid antibodies, are present, they can interfere with the accustomed function of blood vessels, and can cause a heart attack or stroke. If a woman is pregnant a miscarriage may occur. Lupus is difficult to diagnose because its symptoms differentiate, and many symptoms are similar to those of other diseases. There is no definite laboratory test that is used to diagnose lupus, because of this, many observations and lab tests are necessary. One way it is diagnose by is by the appearance of peculiar antibodies in the bloodstream and for LE cells (lupus erythematosus cells). These antibodies attack the nuclei of cells. LE cells are white blood cells that destroy blood cells, and they are an indication of lupus. A skin biopsy, the removal of a small skin sample, will be operated to examine for antibodies active in lupus.
To be diagnosed with lupus, one must have four of the eleven typical signs of the disease. The doctor will perform a physical exam and listen to the patient’s chest with a stethoscope. An abnormal sound called a heart friction rub or pleural friction rub may be noted. A nervous system exam will also be conducted. Tests used to diagnose SLE include antibody tests, complete blood count test that measures blood cells, chest x-rays, kidney biopsy which is the removal of a small piece of kidney tissue for examination, and then a urinalysis which is the physical, chemical, and microscopic examination of urine. Early diagnosis is important so that treatment can be started as soon as possible. Lupus’ tendency to flare and subside is why it is so hard to diagnose. There is no definite cure for lupus erythematosus. Effective treatment can maintain normal body function, and it can help control symptoms in many patients. SLE is a life-threatening disease, especially when the kidneys are involved. The common cause of death for SLE is kidney failure, bacterial infection, and heart failure. There are different treatments for lupus erythematosus depending on the symptoms a patient has. Mild disease is treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, also shortened to NSAIDs, to treat arthritis and pleurisy, for example aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen. Corticosteroid creams are prescribed to treat skin rashes. Antimalaria drugs and low-dose corticosteroids are prescribed to treat skin and arthritis symptoms. Although helpful, these drugs used to treat lupus symptoms can cause unwanted side effects. Other lupus treatments are designed for the specific system that is affected by the disease. Ongoing medical advice with regular check-ups is necessary. A person whose kidneys begin to fail may need kidney dialysis which is a process where a machine artificially cleanses a person’s blood, or kidney transplantation may be needed. The prognosis depends on two factors which are the body systems affected and the degree of severity. The outcome for people with systemic lupus erythematosus has improved in recent years. Many people with SLE have mild symptoms. The disease tends to be more active in the first years after diagnosis and in younger patients. Women with SLE who become pregnant are often able to carry safely to term and deliver a healthy infant. As long as a person does not have severe kidney or heart disease and the SLE is being treated appropriately, one can live a healthy life. However, the presence of SLE antibodies may increase the risk of pregnancy loss. Some people with systemic lupus erythematosus have abnormal deposits in the kidney cells.
This leads to a condition called lupus nephritis. Patients with this condition may eventually develop kidney failure and need kidney dialysis or kidney transplantation. There is no absolute way to avoid lupus erythematosus, but worse symptoms can be avoided. Keeping a healthy diet, getting plenty of rest, avoiding stress, exercising regularly, and decreasing the exposure to sunlight are ways to avoid worse symptoms. Also, patients can try to find out what factors worsen their symptoms, and these certain factors can be avoided.

Work Cited
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