Lupus

1
Lupus

• By Carly Cain

2
What is Lupus

• Found in 1851, in Ancient Greece, Lupus is
  Latin for wolf, relating to the butterfly
  rash that may appear on the cheeks of many
  Lupus patients, referring to the facial marking
  of a wolf bite.
• Lupus, known as lupus erythematosus or systemic
  lupus erthematosus, it is an auto-immune disease,
  in which the bodies healthy tissues and organs
  are attacked by an increased amount of antibodies
  (Phillips, 3).
• Lupus causes the body to become allergic to
  itself, and produce too many antibodies (Wallace,
  5).
• These antibodies start attacking tissues and
  organs all throughout the body, causing
  inflammation in certain parts of the body where
  the attack is taking place (Wallace, 4).
• The inflamed areas of the body are usually
  reddish in color, tender, and often painful
  (Wallace, 4).

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Symptoms

• Symptoms may be unpredictable and transient,
  differing for each patient.
• May include
• Persistent profound fatigue.
• Joint pain and inflammation.
• Skin rashes.
• Extreme sensitivity to sunlight.
• Mental confusion.
• Chronic low-grade fever.
• Reynauds like extremities.
• Mouth ulcers and hair loss (Journal of American
  Medical News).

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Possible Causes

• Speculations of environmental factors
• Possible Causes such as
• Viral or bacterial infections.
• UV light.
• Prescription heart medication.
• Antipsychotic drugs.
• Epstein-Barr virus.
• Mononucleosis.
• Lyme disease.
• Anti-DNA antibodies.
• Genetic predisposition (Journal of American
  Medical News)

5
Diagnosis

• There is no single test for Lupus, the FDA just
  approved a new screening tool used for testing.
  50 of lupus patients see at least three doctors
  before being diagnosed (Journal of American
  Medical News).
• May take an average of up to eight years to
  diagnosis Lupus (Phillips, 21).
• Initial screening includes
• A complete blood count.
• Liver and kidney screening panels.
• Laboratory tests for specific auto-antibodies.
• Antinuclear antibodies
• ANA, a syphilis test.
• Urinalysis.
• Blood chemistries.
• Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (Journal of
  American Medical News).

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Treatment

• There is no cure for Lupus.
• No specific drugs are used for Lupus.
• Some Medications used include
• Naprosyn, Plaquenil, Steroids, Imuran (Journal of
  American Medical News).
• Four major components for treatment include
• Adjustment of general life-style, changing
  behaviors and activities.
• Coping with emotional reactions, control stress
  and negative emotions
• Proper medication, helps suppress symptoms.
• Attention to diet and nutritional needs (Phillips
  27, 30).

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Comparison of annual number of deaths from 1979
to 1989
Source Journal of American Medical Association,
2002, 201-4
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Prevalance

• 90 of Lupus patients are women ages 15-45.
• Estimated that 500,000 to 4 million people have
  Lupus.
• Women are five times more likely to die than men.
• There has been a 70 increase in the number of
  African-American women dying from Lupus.

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Prognosis

• Can not be cured.
• Medication can be taken to ease pain, etc.
• Adjustment of general life-style, changing
  behaviors and activities.
• Coping with emotional reactions, control stress
  and negative emotions
• Proper medication, helps suppress symptoms.
• Attention to diet and nutritional needs (Phillips
  27, 30).

10
Pictures of Lupus Diagram
Arm
Leg
Hands
Head
Nose
11
References

• Phalen, K.F. (2002). Progress on lupusNew
  clarity for a baffling disease. Journal of
  American Medical News, 287(20), 1-8.
• Phillips, R.H. (1984). Coping with lupus. New
  Jersey Avery Publishing Group Inc.
• Sacks, J.J. (2002). Trends in Deaths from
  systemic lupus erythematosus-United States.
  Journal of American Medical News, 287(20), 1-4.
• Wallace, D.J. (2000). The lupus book A guide
  for patients and their families. Oxford
  Oxford Press.