Systemic lupus erythematosus, also known as SLE, or simply lupus, is a disease that is characterized by periodic episodes of inflammation of and damage to the joints, tendons, other connective tissues, and organs, including the heart, lungs, blood vessels, brain, kidneys, and skin. The heart, lungs, kidneys, and brain are the organs most affected. Lupus affects each individual differently and the effects of the illness range from mild to severe. Lupus can potentially be fatal. The majority of people who have lupus are young women (late teens to 45). This may be due to the fact that estrogen (a female hormone) seems to be associated with lupus. Lupus affects more African-Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans than Caucasian Americans. Lupus in children occurs most often at the age of 15 and older. According to the Arthritis Foundation, about 25,000 children and adolescents have lupus or a related disorder. The disease is known to have periods of flare-ups and periods of remission (partial or complete lack of symptoms). Children with lupus can have a large degree of kidney involvement. The severity of the kidney involvement can alter the survival rate of patients with lupus. In some cases, kidney damage is so severe it leads to kidney failure. What causes lupus?
Lupus is an autoimmune disorder, which means the body's immune system attacks its own healthy cells and tissues. Lupus is considered to be a multifactorial condition. Multifactorial inheritance means that "many factors" are involved in causing a health problem. The factors are usually both genetic and environmental, where a combination of genes from both parents, in addition to unknown environmental factors, produce the trait or condition. Often one gender (either males or females) is affected more frequently than the other in multifactorial traits. Multifactorial traits do recur in families because they are partly caused by genes. Females are affected with lupus three to ten times more often than males. A group of genes on chromosome 6 codes for the HLA (human leukocyte antigens) antigens which play a major role in susceptibility and resistance to disease. Specific HLA antigens influence the development of many common disorders, many that are autoimmune related and are inherited as multifactorial traits. When a person has the specific HLA antigen type associated with the disease, they may have a genetic susceptibility to have the condition and be more apt to develop it. The HLA antigen associated with lupus is called DR2 and DR3. It is important to understand that a person without these antigens may also develop lupus, so that HLA antigen testing is not diagnostic or accurate for prediction of the condition.
Treatment for lupus:
There is no cure for lupus. Specific treatment for lupus will be determined by your physician based on:
• your age, overall health, and medical history • extent of the condition • your tolerance for specific medications, procedures, and therapies • expectation for the course of the disease • specific organs that are affected • your opinion or preference
