Lupus is an autoimmune illness characterized by acute and chronic swelling of numerous tissues of the body. Autoimmune diseases are illnesses that occur when the body\’s tissues are attacked by its very own immune system.
The immune system is a complex system within the body that is designed to combat infectious agents, such as bacteria and other foreign microbes. A good way that the immune system combats infections is by producing antibodies that bind to the microorganisms.
People with lupus produce abnormal antibodies in their blood that target tissues within their own body rather than foreign infectious agents. These antibodies are known as auto antibodies .
Simply because the antibodies and associated cells of inflammation could affect tissues any place in the body, lupus has the possibility to affect a variety of areas. Sometimes lupus could cause disease of the skin , heart, lungs, kidneys, joints, and/or nervous system.
When only the skin is involved, the illness is referred to as lupus dermatitis or cutaneous lupus erythematosus. A kind of lupus dermatitis that can be isolated to the skin, without internal disease, is known as discoid lupus. When internal organs are involved, the condition is referred to as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
Both discoid lupus and systemic lupus are more widespread in females than men (about 8 times more common ). The disease could affect all ages but most commonly starts from 20-45 years of age. Statistics demonstrate that lupus is somewhat more widespread in African Americans and people of Chinese and Japanese descent.
What causes systemic lupus erythematosus? Is lupus hereditary?
The actual cause for the abnormal autoimmunity that triggers lupus is not known. Inherited genes, viruses, ultraviolet light , and particular medications may all play some role.
Genetics increase the tendency of developing autoimmune diseases ,and autoimmune diseases like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and autoimmune thyroid problems are more prevalent among relatives of people with lupus than the over-all population . Some scientists believe that the immune system in lupus is more easily triggered by external factors like viruses or uv light. Oftentimes, symptoms of lupus can be brought on or aggravated by only a brief time of sun exposure.
It also is recognized that a few females with SLE can experience deterioration of their symptoms prior to their menstruation periods. This phenomenon, together with the female predominance of SLE, suggests that female hormones play a crucial role in the expression of SLE. This hormonal relationship is an active area of ongoing research by scientists.
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Understanding Lupus
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