Systemic lupus erythematosus or SLE is the most common and serious forum of lupus but there are other types of lupus as well.

DISCOID LUPUS-DLE

Discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) and subacute cutaneous lupus (SCLE) are diseases where the skin rashes and sunsensitivity are the main problems; involvement of th internal parts of the body does not occur and life is not threatened. However, in both DLE and SCLE may, at times occur along with system ic form of lupus. Performing appropriate tests to rule out systemic lupus is therefore important when DLE and SCLE is newly diagnosed.

NEONATAL LUPUS

Neonatal lupus is an uncommon form of lupus that effects the newborn child. This most often occurs in the children of women with SCLE or systemic lupus who also have a particular antibody (moleculre that recognizes other molecules that are foreign to the body) in their bloodstream. Skin rashes that come and go and a decrease in some of the blood cells may occur but these problems go away within six months after birth. In rare cases, the tissue that control the normal heartbeat may be affected. However, this serious problem can be often corrected with a pacemaker.

DRUG INDUCED LUPUS

Drug-induced lupus is triggered by certain drugs. Only a small number of people taking these drugs develop this form of lupus which has many of the symptoms of systemic lupus. The most important feature of drug-induced lupus is that it goes away when the offending drug is stopped.

SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS-SLE

SLE is a treatable, chronic, autoimmune inflammatory disease that can affect any organ in the body and in a pattern that varies greatly from person to person. Lupus is characterized by autoantibodies. SLE is a chronic illness, which means that the disease is lifelong 9however, most persons with SLE will not be continuously sick for the rest of their lives). Autoimmune means that there is a disorder of the immune system which cannot tell the difference between the person's own tissues and foreign tissue. This conflict leads to inflammation (the normal body response to infury or infection) in various organs which causes the symptoms of lupus to appear. If severe or untreated, this inflammation may cause organ damage and loss of function. Autoantibodies, meaning antibodies directed against one's self, are involved in this process and are typically of SLE.

The cause of lupus is not known. What is known is that lupus is an autoimmune disease. The immune system is the part of the body that protects us against germs such as bacteria and viruses. In the normal individual, certain cells of the immune system makes proteins called antibodies that react with foreign substances in the body and destroy them. In lupus, something goes wrong with the immune system so that it also makes antibodies that attack the person's own tissus. The result is an autoimmune reaction which causes the inflammation that affects the specific tissues or organs in SLE.

WHO GET'S LUPUS?

Women of child-bearing age (15-45) are most often affected. Indeed, in that particular age group, lupu is 8 to 13 times more common in women than in men. However, the disease does occur in men, in children and in the elderly. According to the Lupus Foundation of America, of the 500,000 Americans estimated to have SLE, the disease occurs in 1 of eery 600 white women of child-bearing age and in 1 of every 200 black women. Lupus is therefore not rare and is more common than multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, sickle cell anemia, and leukemia. Lupus is diagnosed worldwide. In Canada, estimates of the number of lupus patients range from 15,000 to 50,000. At any rate, it is clear that SLE is not a rare disease in Canada. In SLE studies it has proven that between 0.4 to 5% of relatives of lupus patients themselves develop lupus. While this may sound frightening, remember that the odds of not having lupus when someone else in the family has it are at least 95% or greater.

IS THERE A CURE?

As yet, there is no cure for lupus. However, researchers studying this disease have made tremendous advances in our knowledge of SLE and this research is continuing. Patients are fully justified in their hopes that a cure will be found.

HOW DOES LUPUS AFFECT LIFE EXPEXTANCY?

An extraordinary improvement in life expectancy has occurred in SLE. Just 35 years ago, at the famous John Hopkins University, only half of all lupus patients were alive four years after diagnosis. However, by the late 1970's 80-90% of all lupus patients were alive after 10 years. To date, no studies of survival after ten years have been completed. This shows the dramatic improvement in the survival rate for patients diagnosed in the sixties and seventies. Today, many doctors belive that the survival of lupus patients has improved even further. Several factors have combined to cause this remarkable improvement. Earlier diagnosis, recognition of milder forms of the disease and better use of tests have all helped.

In summary, systemic lupus erythematosus is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects primarily women of childbearning age. It can be mild or serious and often goes into remission and remains quiet for long periods of time. Treatment is successful at bringing the symptoms under control inn almost every case.

HOPEFUL FACTS ABOUT SLE

If you have been told recently that you have SLE, it is important at this point to be aware of the following facts which bring great hope to lupus patients:

1) lupus can be a serious disease but it is quite clear that milder forms of disease do exist and are being increasingly recognized.

2) lupus is treatable and much can be done to control it. In fact, with proper treatment it is the rule, not the exception, for physician to succeed in bringing lupus under control.

3) Many patients undergo cycles in which the disease becomes quiet after it is brought undre control. This symptom free period is called remission and may last several years.

4) Better methods of diagnosis, treatment and follow-up have improved the life expectancy of lupus patients so that nowadays lupus is seldom seen to be fatal.







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