Lupus

Systemic lupus erythematosus, often abbreviated as SLE or lupus, is a systemic autoimmune disease (or autoimmune connective tissue disease) in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. There are many kinds of lupus. The most common type is systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), which affects many internal organs in the body. SLE most often harms the heart, joints, skin, lungs, blood vessels, liver, kidneys, and nervous system. The course of the disease is unpredictable, with periods of illness (called flare-ups) alternating with remissions. The cause is believed to be an environmental trigger, which results in a misdirected immune response in people who are genetically susceptible. A normal immune system makes proteins called antibodies that protect against pathogens such as viruses and bacteria. Lupus is characterized by the presence of antibodies directed against a person's own proteins; these are most commonly anti-nuclear antibodies, which are found in nearly all cases. These antibodies lead to inflammation. There is no cure for SLE. It is mainly treated with immunosuppressants such as cyclophosphamide and corticosteroids with the aim of keeping symptoms under control. SLE can be fatal with the leading cause of death from cardiovascular disease due to accelerated atherosclerosis. Life expectancy has improved over the decades. Over 90% now survive for more than ten years, many live relatively asymptomatically, and 80-90% can expect to live a normal lifespan. This is due in part to better treatments, but also to identification of milder cases. Global rates of disease varies from 20 to 70 per 100,000. The disease is sex-related occurring nine times more often in women than in men, especially in women of child-bearing years (ages 15 to 35). It is also more common in those of African-American or Caribbean descent. Rates of disease in the developing world are unclear. Childhood systemic lupus erythematosus generally presents between the ages of 3 and 15, with girls outnumbering boys 4:1, and typical skin manifestations being a butterfly-shaped rash on the face, and photosensitivity. Lupus is Latin for wolf. In the 18th century, when lupus was just starting to be recognized as a disease, it was thought that it was caused by a wolf's bite. This may have been because of the distinctive malar rash characteristic of lupus. (Once full-blown, the round, disk-shaped rashes heal from the inside out, leaving a bite-like imprint.)