Systemic Lupus: A Case Study
Introduction
Lupus is a life-threatening autoimmune disease that affects women of color more commonly than Caucasians. The immune system attacks healthy cells and tissues of a person suffering from lupus. Since the signs and symptoms of lupus can vary depending on the type of tissue affected, it is very difficult to diagnose and treat lupus.
Pathology and Etiology of Lupus Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) can develop in a patient in numerous ways, this leads to the different types of lupus. Some of the different types include lupus nephritis, which can cause the inflammation of the kidneys. Cutaneous lupus erythematosus, which causes the immune system to attack skin cells. And finally, drug induced lupus erythematosus (DILE) which is caused …show more content…
This disease can occur at any age according to Bernknopf et al. (2011), the article states that lupus mainly occurs at age 50 or later, but can affect adult women aged between 20 and 40 years. It is also more difficult to diagnose lupus in adolescents (averaging age 12) than in adults. Forty to ninety percent of patients are juvenile and have non-specific symptoms to SLE (Baqai & Ioannou, 2012). Although it is not common, men can also develop SLE. Men tend to develop lupus when it is induced by a drug which is known as DILE. Symptoms found in men tend to be less severe than women. For example, Bernknopf et al. (2011) stated, men tend to develop less arthritis pain than …show more content…
These signs and symptoms can be defined as specific and non-specific. Some of the non-specific symptoms of SLE include extreme fatigue, fever, weight loss and lymphadenopathy which is a disease affecting the lymph nodes. Some of the more unique symptoms of SLE are butterfly-shaped rashes or sun-induced macules on the face, generalized rash on a part of the body, and hyperpigmentation. Some of the most common features found while observing patients with SLE is joint inflammation and oral ulcers. Ninety percent of patients with SLE have joint inflammation such as arthritis, tendinitis, or early morning stiffness in the knees, wrist and hands. And fifty percent have mucosal ulceration, which is usually oral (Bernknopf et al., 2011).
SLE has three ways to detect disease activity: flares, chronic, and long quiescence. Flares are the most common pattern and are sudden and unpredictable. Flares can be contributed to stress, excessive work or emotional crisis. Going through the ‘flare phase’ is usually a good sign of health for patients with SLE because only controllable factors will cause symptoms. Chronic disease activity is persistent, unlike flare, and may or may not require treatment. The final pattern is long quiescence which is long remission periods before having a flare up (Bernknopft et al.,
Lupus is a life-threatening autoimmune disease that affects women of color more commonly than Caucasians. The immune system attacks healthy cells and tissues of a person suffering from lupus. Since the signs and symptoms of lupus can vary depending on the type of tissue affected, it is very difficult to diagnose and treat lupus.
Pathology and Etiology of Lupus Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) can develop in a patient in numerous ways, this leads to the different types of lupus. Some of the different types include lupus nephritis, which can cause the inflammation of the kidneys. Cutaneous lupus erythematosus, which causes the immune system to attack skin cells. And finally, drug induced lupus erythematosus (DILE) which is caused …show more content…
This disease can occur at any age according to Bernknopf et al. (2011), the article states that lupus mainly occurs at age 50 or later, but can affect adult women aged between 20 and 40 years. It is also more difficult to diagnose lupus in adolescents (averaging age 12) than in adults. Forty to ninety percent of patients are juvenile and have non-specific symptoms to SLE (Baqai & Ioannou, 2012). Although it is not common, men can also develop SLE. Men tend to develop lupus when it is induced by a drug which is known as DILE. Symptoms found in men tend to be less severe than women. For example, Bernknopf et al. (2011) stated, men tend to develop less arthritis pain than …show more content…
These signs and symptoms can be defined as specific and non-specific. Some of the non-specific symptoms of SLE include extreme fatigue, fever, weight loss and lymphadenopathy which is a disease affecting the lymph nodes. Some of the more unique symptoms of SLE are butterfly-shaped rashes or sun-induced macules on the face, generalized rash on a part of the body, and hyperpigmentation. Some of the most common features found while observing patients with SLE is joint inflammation and oral ulcers. Ninety percent of patients with SLE have joint inflammation such as arthritis, tendinitis, or early morning stiffness in the knees, wrist and hands. And fifty percent have mucosal ulceration, which is usually oral (Bernknopf et al., 2011).
SLE has three ways to detect disease activity: flares, chronic, and long quiescence. Flares are the most common pattern and are sudden and unpredictable. Flares can be contributed to stress, excessive work or emotional crisis. Going through the ‘flare phase’ is usually a good sign of health for patients with SLE because only controllable factors will cause symptoms. Chronic disease activity is persistent, unlike flare, and may or may not require treatment. The final pattern is long quiescence which is long remission periods before having a flare up (Bernknopft et al.,