Medical Centric

SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS (SLE).

Men's Health, Skin Conditions, Women's Health / By

SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS (SLE).

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a chronic autoimmune disorder that occurs when the body’s immune system attacks its own healthy tissues and organs.

  • The immune system is a complex system in the body designed to fight off infectious agents, such as bacteria and other foreign microbes.
  • To fight off infection, the body produces antibodies that bind to the microbes. However, in systemic lupus erythematosus, the body produces abnormal antibodies in the blood that target tissues within the body rather than foreign infectious agents.
  • Inflammation caused by the condition can affect many body systems- including brain, skin, joints, kidneys, blood cells, heart, and lungs.
  • The condition is about 8 times more common in women (especially women of child-bearing age) than in men.
  • The condition can affect a wide range of ages but it commonly begins from 24-45 years of age.
  • Statistic shows that the condition is more frequent in those of African, Caribbean and Chinese descent.

CAUSES

It results from a combination of genetics and the environment.

It appears that people with a genetic predisposition to the condition may develop it when they come in contact with potential triggers in the environment. These triggers may include:

  • Sunlight
  • Infections
  • Medications
  • Physical or emotional stress

It also appears that some women with systemic lupus erythematosus can experience more severe symptoms during pregnancy or prior to their menstrual periods. Both of these observations, together with the predominance of the condition in women, have led medical professionals to believe that the female hormone may play a role in causing the condition.

SYMPTOMS

Often, there are periods of illnesses called flares, and periods of remission where there are only a few symptoms.

Symptoms may be mild or severe, may come on slowly or develop suddenly, and may be temporary or permanent.

The symptom experienced will depend on the body system affected by the disease.

The most common symptoms include:

  • Fever
  • Fatigue
  • Shortness of breath
  • Chest pain
  • Dry eyes
  • A facial rash that covers the bridge of the nose and the cheeks, which is called a butterfly rash.
  • Headaches, confusion and memory loss
  • Fingers and toes that turn white or blue with cold exposure or during stressful periods (Raynaud’s phenomenon).
  • Hair loss
  • Anemia
  • Joint swelling
  • Joint pain
  • Unusual sensitivity to sunlight

DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT

Making diagnosis can be very difficult because the symptoms vary from person to person and may overlap with those of many other disorders.

No single test can establish a diagnosis. The combination of blood and urine tests, imaging tests, biopsy, and 11 criteria established by the American Rheumatism Association can help improve the accuracy of diagnosis.

Blood and urine tests may include complete blood count, urinalysis, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, antinuclear antibody (ANA) test.

Imaging tests such as chest x-ray, echocardiogram

With the criteria set by the American Rheumatism Association, a person has the disease if any 4 out of 11 symptoms are present simultaneously or on two separate conditions.

  1. Malar rash (over the cheeks of the face)
  2. Discoid skin rash (red, patches on the skin that can cause scarring)
  3. Photosensitivity
  4. Oral ulcers (sores or ulcers of the lining of the mouth, or throat)
  5. Arthritis
  6. Pleuritis (inflammation of the membrane around the lungs) or pericarditis (inflammation of the lining tissue around the heart).
  7. Kidney abnormalities (more than 0.5g per day amounts of protein urine or clumps cellular elements called casts seen in urine under a microscope )
  8. Neurologic disorder manifested by seizures or psychosis
  9. Antinuclear antibody (positive ANA antibody testing)
  10. Immunologic disorder (abnormal immune tests including positive anti-Smith, anti-dsDNA, or false positive serological test for syphilis
  11. Blood-hematologic disorder such as low red blood count or white blood count.
TREATMENT

There is no cure for the condition. The goal of the treatment is to ease the symptoms and protect organs by decreasing inflammation in the body.

Treatment option varies and is decided on an individual basis.

The medications most commonly used to control the condition include:

  • Antimalarial drugs such as hydroxychloroquine which can help reduce flares
  • NSAIDs such as ibuprofen to treat pain, swelling, and fever associated with the condition
  • Corticosteroids
  • Immunosuppressant such as azathioprine, methotrexate
  • Disease-modifying drugs for more severe cases

Lifestyle and home remedies may help, this may include:

  • Regular exercises
  • Eating a healthy diet
  • Wearing protective when out in the sun such as a hat, long-sleeved shirt, and long pants, as well as using sunscreen
  • Smoking cessation