Lupus

There are four types of lupus. Cutaneous lupus, often called discoid, is lupus that affects the skin. Systemic lupus erythematosus affects the the body internally, damaging organs and joints. It is possible to have both. Drug induced lupus is caused by certain medications and subsides when the offending medication is withdrawn. Neonatal lupus occurs in newborn babies.

No. In order to develop lupus you have to have the right combination of genes plus triggers. The stress of surgery could trigger lupus in a person who is genetically predisposed, but not in a person who is not genetically predisposed.

Lupus anticoagulant is one a several blood clotting disorders that can affect lupus patients. Lupus anticoagulant causes the patient to make blood clots. It is treated with blood thinners.

Most cases of lupus fall into the mild to moderate category, although lupus can also be life-threatening. If you have lupus over a long period of time and you have no organ involvement you will probably be OK. If you have lupus and are not monitored for organ invovlement you run the risk of permanent damage. Organ damage in lupus rarely has symptoms until it is quite serious. If you have organ invovlvement and follow your treatment plan and take you immunosuppressive medicaitons you will probably be OK. If you have organ involvement and don't follow your treatment plan you can suffer permanent organ damage and even death.

Lupus patients are at increased risk for heart attack and stroke. The inflammation which occurs as a result of autoimmune activity can affect the blood vessels, resulting in build of of plaques. If these break off they can cause a heart attack or stroke. Long term and repeated use of steriods increases the risk. Lack of regular exercise adds to the problem. For this reason, lupus patients should minimize animal fat in their diets, and eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and plant proteins.

Petechia appear as small, pinpoint dots on the skin. They may occur as a symptom of lupus or of other disorders.

This seems like a very complex issue. By following the the related link below (Relation Between Red Blood Cell Distribution Width and Inflammatory Biomarkers in a Large Cohort of Unselected Outpatients) more information can be found on this subject.

# # # # # Lupus produces widely varying symptoms, although joint pain is reported by most patients and skin lesions are common. Lupus can cause short periods of symptoms alternating with healthy periods, or can progress into a life-threatening disorder affecting the heart, kidneys, and other organs.

Why the disease is termed lupus is unknown, but it has been known as a distinct disorder and called lupus by European physicians since at least the tenth century A.D. The term erythematosus was first attached to the disease in the 1850s, and it refers to the patchy congestion of skin capillaries with blood (erythema) that often accompanies the disease.

Yes, I feel that way all the time. I also have chronic sinus pressure all the time w/out an infection or allergies. The pressure in my head is worse with exersion, but I have sinus and ear pressure all the time as well as pulsitale tinnitus. If anyone has any ideas, I'd love the help! I have had an MRI, MRA, and lot's of blood work. I have multiple autoimmune diseases, so I wonder if it could be from them? I also had a positive test for lupus back in 2001, but it has been negative recently. My doc also suspects benign intracranial pressure. Whatever that is?

only 10 years after diagnosis in India

The majority of people with lupus can live a norma life span if they follow their treatment plan and are monitored regularly. The leading causes of death in lupus are cardiovascular events (heart attack and stroke), uncontrolled infection and kidney disease.

If someone has lupus nephritis, that person should discuss any supplement, vitamins, herbs, or "alternative" therapies with the rheumatologist and nephrologist. Lupus nephritis can be fatal and is nothing to be fooled around with.

only affects the skin, although similar discoid skin lesions can occur in the serious disease called systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Only about 10% of all patients with DLE will go on to develop the multiorgan disease SLE

There is no definitive laboratory test for lupus. A diagnosis of lupus is based on:

1. Medical history

2. Symptoms

3. A variety of tests

4. Process of elimination

Since these things cannot be done on a fetus, the answer is no, lupus cannot be detected prenatally.

an allergie

Kidney disease, or lupus nephritis, has 5 World Health Orgainization classifications with various levels within each. A kidney biopsy is used to determine the classification and level. Treatment varies with each type of kidney disease. Typically, strong chemo therapy is used to severely weaken the immune system-some are given intravenously and some are taken in pill form. Sometimes a patient will have to undergo plasmapheresis which "cleans" the blood of autoantibodies. In extreme cases the patient might end up on dialysis and need a kidney transplant. There are too many variables to answer your question.

Sjogren's Syndrome is an autoimmune disease unto itself. It is not a form of lupus. Sjogren's often goes along with lupus. People who have one autoimmune disease frequently have more than one.

Although Lupus can cause your hair to fall out, it will regrow after treatment.

Systemic lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy parts of the self.

Yes lupus can kill, directly and indirectly. 40% of lupus patients develop lupus nephritis or kidney disease. Some respond to treatment, others don't. People with systemic lupus have twice the risk of atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries. This can cause heart attacks and strokes. Some people with lupus have antiphospholipid antibody syndrome which causes abnormal clotting of the blood also leading to cardiovascular events. If lupus attacks the liver you also die. I personally know two people who died of lupus nephritis and two who died of cardiovascular events in 2008 alone. In my case I had pericarditis, pleurisy, pleural effusion, bone marrow failure and kidney failure and am very luck to be alive. Most cases of lupus are mild to moderate, but it can kill.

Although most things in autoimmune diseases are very poorly understood now and there is very little known about how they work, hormones in general have a connection to autoimmune diseases. Pregnancy also has quite a bit to do with autoimmune diseases usually by increasing your risk of getting an autoimmune disease if you've had one in the past year. On the other hand some women have the opposite effect by protecting a woman with an autoimmune disease. So essentially it is unsure what the reason is pregnancy and hormones play a part. (sources: Living well with Autoimmune Disease)

The medical textbook Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, 4th edition edited by Lahita is the definitive source. You can find it on line or in any decent medical library.

The Lupus Book by Daniel Wallace, MD 4th edition is a comprehensive resource for lupus. It is based on the medical textbook but more accessible to lay people.

Lupus can be wide spread, but most medication stops it from doing so.

Most Lupus cases have deterioration of the kidney and bladder functions.

But, I am not a doctor. Please refer to a rheumatologist.

20 percent of people with lupus will have a parent or sibling who already has lupus or may develop lupus.