What is Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

First described during the 19th century as a skin disease by a French skin specialist, systemic lupus erythematosus, or SLE, is a complex disease that may affect every part of the body.

Systemic lupus erythematosus has been defined as an autoimmune disease. The condition means that the immune system mistakes the body cells as foreign materials, leading an attack to the body. The antibodies involved in lupus are called autoantibodies, which mean the antibodies against the body itself. This would result to damages on tissues affecting the not only the skin but also the internal organs.

This “self-allergy” leads to inflammation, pain and possible damage to some organs. Inflammation is the primary feature of lupus, which according to studies, can be a mild disease to some, but can also be serious and life threatening to others.

According to the Lupus Foundation of America, between 1.5-2 million Americans develop one form of Lupus and more than 90% diagnosed are women. Lupus symptoms are often found among women ages 15-45, or during child bearing years. Studies also show that in the United States, Latinos, African Americans, Native Americans and Asians are the ones commonly affected with lupus, compared to Caucasians

Symptoms
As aforementioned, the primary feature of SLE or lupus is inflammation. The Latin translation of the disease is “set on fire”, which is associated with the heat, redness, pain and swelling that a lupus patient experiences. Some patients also complain of chronic  fatigue, which they realize only after a treatment is successfully started.

Joint inflammation and “flu-like” symptoms cause the aches and pains lupus patients suffer. A wide variety of rashes also appear on the skin of most lupus patients. The most common would be the butterfly rash, which spreads on the face from the nose towards the cheeks. The elbows, neck area, palms and soles are the other areas where these rashes may appear. They also come and go, and may look like pinkish discolorations, blisters or small pinpoint “bloodspots” called purpura. 

Another major feature of lupus are headaches. Among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, a wide variety of factors can cause headaches like “sticky blood”, which is due to the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies. These antibodies interfere with the normal function of the blood vessels. Lupus patients are twice as likely to suffer from migraine-like headaches compared to the general population.

Pleurisy or pleuritis is also a symptom of lupus that is characterized by a severe stabbing pain when taking a deep breath, laughing or coughing. This is due to chronic pleural scarring that weakens the diaphragm.
Systemic lupus erythematosus is a difficult disease to diagnose. The only way for doctors to know whether a patient has the disease or not is thru their awareness about the symptoms, medical history and blood tests.

Since it could also be confusing to distinguish Lupus from other diseases, the American Rheumatism Association has established 11 abnormalities that point to a diagnosis of lupus. Physicians will only diagnose the patient with the disease if the patient has at least four of these abnormalities. These 11 abnormalities include:

  • Malar rash
  • Discoid rash
  • Photosensitivity
  • Mucosal ulcers
  • Serositis
  • Arthritis
  • Renal disorders
  • Neurological disorders
  • Haematological disorders
  • Immunologic disorders
  • Anti-nuclear antibody

The blood tests that are conducted to aid in diagnosing lupus include:

  • A full blood count to detect anemia
  • Low white blood cells and low platelets
  • Creatinine and electrolytes to measure salts in the blood
  • Liver function tests that include measurement of the liver enzymes
  • Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) that serves as a marker of               non-specific inflammation
  • C-reactive protein (CRP) that is also an inflammatory indicator
  • Blood clotting tests
  • Urinalysis

Treatment
Systemic lupus erythematosus is usually treated with medications and rest.  SLE patients are commonly exhausted, and this can be treated with a combination of rest and anti-depressants.  Other medications that may be used in the treatment of this disease include painkillers, steroids, chemotherapy drugs and quinine.  It may take many months to find the right combination of drugs that will make a lupus patient feel normal again.

Diagnostic tests and treatments that are being used today can afford lupus patients a better quality of life, as well as a life span comparable to people without the disease.