Lupus: Psychosocial Impact

Definition

Lupus is a brief name of the formal medical term systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This is an autoimmune disease, affecting different organs in the body including the heart, lungs, skin, joints, and nervous system. It can be life threatening, though the advancement in medical treatment has made this outcome rare. Sadly, SLE mimics other illnesses in that its symptoms overlap with many other diseases; hence, patients may be misdiagnosed for long periods of time. It is prevalent mainly in women, between 15 and 35 years old. In SLE, the immune system produces antibodies against proteins in cell nuclei. Furthermore, various immune cells show excessive apoptosis, whose level correlates with disease activity. About 30 % have skin symptoms (e.g., red rashes); many patients have joint pain, particularly in the hands and wrist, muscle pain, and anemia. Finally, cardiac inflammation and atherosclerosis are common. Some of the symptoms such as weight gain and retinal damage also...