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Lupus (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus) is a chronic, potentially fatal autoimmune disease characterized by skin rashes, joint pain and swelling, inflammation of the kidney, inflammation of the fibrous tissue surrounding the heart. Women and minorities are disproportionately affected.
General Symptoms
The symptoms and signs are legion for lupus. Individual may describe flu-like symptoms of fatigue, dry eyes, aching muscles and joints, weight loss, fever and swollen glands. Unlike the general flu, these symptoms could persist for several months. Some of these symptoms will lessen with treatment, while others may become a feature of chronic phase of the disease.
There are some additional symptoms that are commonly experienced.
• Increase in Hair loss is one of the most important features of active lupus. In some cases hair loss is patchy and even extreme. But fortunately majority of the patients the hair re-grows after successful treatment.
• Depression is a primary feature of the disease. It can be treated well to the management of the lupus itself and in some patients the return of depression is a tell-tale sign that the lupus is flaring.
• Skin rashes occur in lupus. The commonest rashes are on the cheeks, elbows, palms and on the v-neck area.
• Change in colour of the fingers on exposure to cold.
• And/or persistent of high blood pressure
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of lupus is usually made over a period of time. The combination of some of the features described above and a battery of blood tests will give cell counts. Immunologic information and look for the presence of antinuclear antibodies. And other disease with symptoms or tests results similar to SLE must be ruled out.
Making a diagnosis of lupus can be difficult. For example the skin rashes, in many patients especially those who do not have the classical tell-tale rashes, the diagnosis could be missed. Or sometime the symptoms develop so slowly that no pattern emerges or the come-and-go symptoms have disappeared before seeing the physician. Last but not least, for those patients with symptoms such as fatigue, depression or headaches are often given the wrong diagnosis. Therefore diagnosing lupus requires time and patience from both patient and physician.
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