What is Lupus?

Lupus is an auto immune disease. The body's immune system attacks both good and bad cells, killing everything in it's path...basically an over active immune system. There are varing stages of the disease and various levels of organ involvement. Every case of Lupus is different which is one of the reasons it is so difficult to diagnose. Some people never get organ involvement and have relatively mild symptoms of joint pain and fatigue. Others have severe organ involvement where Lupus attacks the kidneys (Lupus Nephritis), heart, brain, lungs, GI tract, Liver. It is considered systemic for this reason. Over 50% of people diagnosed with Lupus will have some type of kidney involvement from mild to severe. Lupus can also cause depression.

Medications used to treat Lupus include steroids (prednisone and Methotrexate), immunosuppressants (Cellcept and Myfortic) and chemotherapy agents (Cytoxan and Rituxan). Plaquenil (an antimalarial) is still used with some patients but it's use is considered antiquated.

My wife was diagnosed with Lupus at age 15. She is now 30. She has severe organ involved Lupus that has attacked her kidneys and her heart. Last year she had eight heart attacks and had a defibulator/pacemaker put in.

That being said we live a relatively normal life inspite of her illness. We have two adopted children. She is a practicing dentist and we live to the fullest. Sure there are days when she can't get out of bed. Those are the times that we make her breakfast in bed and rent her movies. We have our yearly treks to the hospital sometimes lasting for weeks or months. We see pretty much every specialist in the book on a monthly basis. But we have a great life. I wouldn't change it for the world.

My point is that the life your family member can expect to have is the one he makes. One can chose to wallow in their suffering (and believe me there is a lot of suffering) or you can chose to do everything possible each and every day to fight, never giving up or giving in.

Joining Lupus support groups can be very helpful to get the latest news and talk with people who have been through it. My wife and I run two Lupus support groups, one for the Lupus patient and one for the family and friends affected by this disease.

I wish you and your family every good thing in the future.

Lupus or SLE (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus) is an auto-immune condition, meaning that the body's immune system attacks itself. In Lupus the body attacks the DNA of its own cells. However, if the DNA is inside cells (as it is in every cell of the body) the antibodies do no harm. It is when cells are broken down that the DNA is released into the bloodstream. The antibodies then bind to the DNA and form large "immune complexes" of antibodies all binded together and to the DNA.

The antibodies can also be sensitised against other cellular components not just the DNA

These complexes then travel around the body and become lodged in many locations. Here the cause inflammation and recruitment of white blood cells (neutrophils amongst others) which lead to inflammation and pain to the patient.

For these reasons lupus is classified as a chronic inflammatory condition and a Type III Hypersensitivity Reaction (basically a type of autoimmunity involving immune complexes being deposited around the body.)

Symptoms are very wide-ranging from skin rashes to joint pain and neurological problems. The complexes can become lodged in the kidneys causing kidney failure over time.

Currently treatment is symptomatic and mainly with corticosteroids and immunosuppressants. There is no cure although many patients can live mostly normal lives.

The disease is so variable that it is very difficult to comment on quality of life.

Hope this helps.

Lupus is short for Lupus Erythematosis, an arthritic condition (and autoimmune linked condition) that is expressed by a malar (cheek) rash thus, the word lupus meaning wolf with red cheeks. Lupus in the long run will spread to damage the Triad of Health (heart, lungs, kidneys) besides arthritis of the digits (fingers & toes). It can help from not eating red meat, cantaloupe, but vegetables and selected fruits.

Lupus is an auto-immune disease - no cure, but in the main, can be controlled.

Have a look at the Lupus UK website:

http://www.lupusuk.org.uk/soitslupus.asp