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Tuesday, 08 July 2008

Lupus is an autoimmune disease that can affect various parts of the body, including the skin, joints, heart, lungs, blood, kidneys and brain. Normally the body's immune system makes proteins called antibodies, to protect the body against viruses, bacteria, and other foreign materials. These foreign materials are called antigens.In an autoimmune disorder like lupus, the immune system cannot tell the difference between foreign substances and its own cells and tissues. The immune system then makes antibodies directed against itself. These antibodies -- called "auto-antibodies" (auto means 'self') -- cause inflammation, pain and damage in various parts of the body.
The term lupus (Latin for wolf) is attributed to the thirteenth century physician Rogerius who used it to describe erosive facial lesions that were reminiscent of a wolf's bite.^1,3 Classical deions of the various dermatologic features of lupus were made by Thomas Bateman, a student of the British dermatologist Robert William, in the early nineteenth century; Cazenave, a student of the French dermatologist Laurent Biett, in the mid-nineteenth century; and Moriz Kaposi (born Moriz Kohn), student and son-in-law of the Austrian dermatologist Ferdinand von Hebra, in the late nineteenth century. The lesions now referred to as discoid lupus were described in 1833 by Cazenave under the term "erythema centrifugum," while the butterfly distribution of the facial rash was noted by von Hebra in 1846. The first published illustrations of lupus erythematosus were included in von Hebra's text, Atlas of Skin Diseases, published in 1856.
... experience has shown that lupus erythematosus ... may be attended by altogether more severe pathological changes ... and even dangerous constitutional symptoms may be intimately associated with the process in question, and that death may result from conditions which must be considered to arise from the local malady."⁵
Kaposi proposed that there were two types of lupus erythematosus; the discoid form and a disseminated form. Furthermore, he enumerated various symptoms and signs which characterized the disseminated form including (1) subcutaneous nodules, (2) arthritis with synovial hypertrophy of both small and large joints, (3) lymphadenopathy, (4) fever, (5) weight loss, (6) anemia, and (7) central nervous system involvement.⁵

The cause(s) of lupus is currently unknown, but there are environmental and genetic factors involved. Some environmental factors which may trigger the disease include infections, antibiotics (especially those in the sulfa and penicillin groups), ultraviolet light, extreme stress, certain drugs, and hormones.

Lupus causes inflammation and other damage in one or more organs or organ systems. For some people this damage may be limited to skin and joints. In other people, the lungs, kidneys, blood, brain, or other organs and tissues also may be affected.

Systemic lupus can be mild or severe and sometimes fatal. Some of the more serious complications which involve major organ systems are:

inflammation of the kidneys (lupus nephritis), which can affect the body’s ability to filter waste from the blood. This can be so damaging that dialysis or kidney transplant may be needed.

an increase in blood pressure in the lungs (pulmonary hypertension)

inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis), which can lead to congestive heart failure

hardening of the arteries (atherosclerotic heart disease), which is a buildup of deposits on coronary artery walls that can lead to a heart attack

involvement of the nervous central system and brain (CNS lupus), which can cause stroke, memory problems, confusion, and headaches.

inflammation of the brain’s blood vessels, which can cause high fevers, seizures, behavioral changes, and psychosis.

Flares, and What Triggers Lupus

In the simplest of terms, a lupus flare is when a person's lupus has been quiet or in remission, and then it becomes active again, either with new symptoms or a recurrence of old ones.

So what triggers an attack of lupus in someone? Scientists have noted some common features in many lupus patients. In some, exposure to the sun causes the sudden development of a rash, and then possibly other symptoms. In others, an infection ... perhaps a cold or a more serious infection ... does not get better, and then complications arise. These complications may be the first signs of lupus.

In still other cases, a drug taken for some illness produces the signaling symptoms. In some women, the first symptoms and signs develop during pregnancy. In others, they appear soon after delivery. Many people cannot remember or identify any specific factor. Obviously, many seemingly unrelated factors can trigger the onset of the disease.

Keeping A Flare At Bay

Doctors have identified healthy habits that can help you avoid triggering a lupus flare.

Always take your medication as prescribed.
Keep your doctor's appointments, even if you're feeling well.
Avoid taking sulfa drugs (sulfonomides) that are used to treat infections such as bronchitis and urinary tract infections.
Limit your exposure to sunlight; apply sunscreen before going outside during the day, and wear sun-protective clothing and a wide-brimmed hat.
Reduce your risk of infections.
Get plenty of rest.
Do not smoke.

Diagnosis

Because many lupus symptoms mimic other illnesses, are sometimes vague and may come and go, lupus can be difficult to diagnose. Diagnosis is usually made by a careful review of a person's entire medical history coupled with an analysis of the results obtained in routine laboratory tests and some specialized tests related to immune status.

Currently, there is no single laboratory test that can determine whether a person has lupus or not. To assist the physician in the diagnosis of lupus, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) in 1982 issued a list of 11 symptoms or signs that help distinguish lupus from other diseases. A person should have four or more of these symptoms to suspect lupus. The symptoms do not all have to occur at the same time.

The Eleven Criteria Used for the Diagnosis of Lupus

Criterion	Definition
Malar Rash	Rash over the cheeks
Discoid Rash	Red raised patches
Photosensitivity	Reaction to sunlight, resulting in the development of or increase in skin rash
Oral Ulcers	Ulcers in the nose or mouth, usually painless
Arthritis	Nonerosive arthritis involving two or more peripheral joints (arthritis in which the bones around the joints do not become destroyed)
Serositis	Pleuritis or pericarditis (inflammation of the lining of the lung or heart)
Renal Disorder	Excessive protein in the urine (greater than 0.5 gm/day or 3+ on test sticks) and/or cellular casts (abnormal elements the urine, derived from red and/or white cells and/or kidney tubule cells)
Neurologic Disorder	Seizures (convulsions) and/or psychosis in the absence of drugs or metabolic disturbances which are known to cause such effects
Hematologic Disorder	Hemolytic anemia or leukopenia (white blood count below 4,000 cells per cubic millimeter) or lymphopenia (less than 1,500 lymphocytes per cubic millimeter) or thrombocytopenia (less than 100,000 platelets per cubic millimeter). The leukopenia and lymphopenia must be detected on two or more occasions. The thrombocytopenia must be detected in the absence of drugs known to induce it.
Antinuclear Antibody	Positive test for antinuclear antibodies (ANA) in the absence of drugs known to induce it.
Immunologic Disorder	Positive anti-double stranded anti-DNA test, positive anti-Sm test, positive antiphospholipid antibody such as anticardiolipin, or false positive syphilis test (VDRL).

Just a little this and that

I am on my space, my year book, and tagged and Hi5
only purpose is to try to help educate people on Lupus
Do you Know what Lupus is?
I didnt either until my grand daughter at the age of three was diagnosed with it and started at 18 months having the problems, now it is my total commitment to help educate others so the more you know the better her life will be to Live when she has flares and pain and the rash on her face you will be able to understand what she is going threw and she wont be so embarrassed to have to get up and go to school or go out because others will know what she is going threw .
Please get educated and educate your children to make Chy's days happy days as she deals with everything so she can walk proud with a smile instead of sadness because she is different.
Lupus is a disease that attacks the immune system which in return starts attacking the muscles tissues and internal organs in her body.
She is a strong little girl that deals everyday with pain but keeps a smile most of the time and is beautiful inside and out.
Lupus Pic
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