However, therapy is often tailored to lessen the individual's particular symptoms. Serving central and eastern Pennsylvania, all southern counties in New Jersey up through Burlington County, and Delaware. Understanding Lupus.
Living with Lupus. Advancing Research. Get Involved. About Us. Donate Become an Advocate. What is lupus? Impact on Daily Life. Ask a Health Educator. Find Support Near You. Programs and Services. Anyone with lupus. Health care professionals. Newly diagnosed. Find resources. Get answers. Our Work. Get Involved in Research. For Researchers. Taking a vitamin D supplement may help. You can shop for vitamin D supplements online. Explore more tips for eating a healthy diet when you have lupus.
The Sm antibody is also associated with SLE-related renal disease nephritis. Your healthcare provider will first request your medical history and perform a physical examination.
In addition to requesting a detailed medical history and doing a physical examination, your healthcare provider may perform the following tests to diagnose lupus:. Systemic lupus erythematosus SLE is the most common type of lupus. SLE gets its name from the fact that it typically affects several different organ systems of your body, including the:.
SLE can range from mild to severe. The condition causes symptoms that may get worse over time and then improve. The times when your symptoms get worse are called flares , while the periods when they improve or go away are called remissions. Learn even more about SLE. This type of lupus is generally limited to your skin. It may cause rashes and permanent lesions with scarring. There are several different types of cutaneous lupus , including:. While acute cutaneous lupus is often associated with systemic lupus disease, subacute and chronic cutaneous lupus typically only occur on the skin.
This condition is extremely rare and affects infants whose mothers have certain autoimmune antibodies. These autoimmune antibodies are transmitted from mother to fetus across the placenta.
Not all mothers who have these antibodies have symptoms of lupus. While some babies may have heart defects, most have symptoms that will go away after several months.
Patients with these antibodies need to be followed very closely during pregnancy, often by specialists, including a rheumatologist and high-risk obstetrician fetal-maternal medicine. Use of certain prescription medications can lead to drug-induced lupus DIL. DIL can develop through the long-term use of certain prescribed medications, typically after just months of taking a drug.
However, it can cause pericarditis and pleurisy. DIL usually goes away within weeks of stopping the medication that caused it to occur. Get further information on DIL. Contagious means that a condition can be transmitted from one person to another person.
Examples of contagious diseases include things like the flu and the common cold. What exactly causes lupus is quite complex.
In fact, you could have a family history of lupus and never develop it. Read more about some of the causes and risk factors for lupus.
Medical innovations and improvements in diagnostic testing have meant people with lupus are living longer than ever.
According to the Lupus Foundation of America , an estimated 80 to 90 percent of people diagnosed with lupus will live a normal lifespan. Those who have severe lupus symptoms or who experience a severe flare-up are at greater risk for developing complications than those with mild to moderate lupus.
Some complications of lupus can be life-threatening. Find out more details about lupus life expectancy and potential complications. A lupus flare happens when your lupus symptoms worsen, making you feel ill. Flares come and go. Sometimes warning signs occur prior to a flare, while other times flares may occur without warning. While lupus treatment can help to prevent flares from occurring, you may still experience one while taking lupus medications.
There are some warning signs that can let you know that a lupus flare is coming. Being able to recognize these signs can help you to seek treatment more promptly, potentially making the flare less severe. Warning signs of a lupus flare include:. Lupus flares can range in severity from mild to serious. It is also more common in Hispanic, Asian, and Native American women. Family history : A person who has a first- or second-degree relative with lupus will have a higher risk of developing it.
Scientists have identified certain genes that may contribute to the development of lupus, but there is not enough evidence to prove that they cause the disease. In studies of identical twins, one twin may develop lupus while the other does not, even if they grow up together and have the same environmental exposures.
If one member of a twin pair has lupus, the other has a percent chance of developing the disease, according to a study published in Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism in Identical twins are more likely to both have the condition. Lupus can happen in people with no family history of the disease, but there may be other autoimmune diseases in the family.
Examples include thyroiditis, hemolytic anemia, and idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura. Some have proposed that changes in the x-chromosomes might affect the risk.
Environmental agents — such as chemicals or viruses — may contribute to triggering lupus in people who are already genetically susceptible. Smoking : A rise in the number of cases in recent decades may be due to higher tobacco exposure. Medication : Around 10 percent of cases may be drug-related, according to Genetics Home Reference. Recently, scientists have been looking at gut microbiota as a possible factor in the development of lupus.
Scientists who published research in Applied and Environmental Microbiology in noted that specific changes in gut microbiota feature in both people and mice with lupus. Lupus is rare in children under the age of 15 years unless their birth mother has it. In this case, a child may have lupus-related heart, liver, or skin problems. Infants with neonatal lupus may have a higher chance of developing another autoimmune disease later in life.
The symptoms of lupus occur in times of flare-ups. Between flare-ups, people usually experience times of remission, when there are few or no symptoms. Kidneys : Inflammation of the kidneys nephritis can make it difficult for the body to remove waste products and other toxins effectively. Around 1 in 3 people with lupus will have kidney problems. Lungs : Some people develop pleuritis, an inflammation of the lining of the chest cavity that causes chest pain, particularly with breathing.
Pneumonia may develop. Central nervous system : Lupus can sometimes affect the brain or central nervous system. Symptoms include headaches, dizziness, depression , memory disturbances, vision problems, seizures, stroke , or changes in behavior. Blood vessels : Vasculitis, or inflammation of the blood vessels, can occur. This can affect circulation. Blood : Lupus can cause anemia, leukopenia a decreased number of white blood cells or thrombocytopenia a decrease in the number of platelets in the blood, which assist in clotting.
Heart : If inflammation affects the heart, it can result in myocarditis and endocarditis. It can also affect the membrane that surrounds the heart, causing pericarditis.
Chest pain or other symptoms may result. Endocarditis can damage the heart valves, causing the valve surface to thicken and develop. This can result in growths that can lead to heart murmurs. Infection : Infection becomes more likely because both lupus and its treatments weaken the immune system.
Common infections include urinary tract infections , respiratory infections, yeast infections, salmonella, herpes , and shingles. Bone tissue death : This occurs when there is low blood supply to a bone. Tiny breaks can develop in the bone. Eventually, the bone may collapse. It most commonly affects the hip joint. Pregnancy complications : Women with lupus have a higher risk of pregnancy loss, preterm birth, and preeclampsia , a condition that includes high blood pressure.
To reduce the risk of these complications, doctors often recommend delaying pregnancy until lupus has been under control for at least 6 months. The American College of Rheumatology use a standard classification scheme to confirm a diagnosis.
On the other hand, some blood tests can lead to overdiagnosis, because people without lupus can have the same antibodies as those with the condition.
Diagnosis can be difficult because of the varied symptoms that may resemble symptoms of other illnesses. The doctor will ask about symptoms, carry out a physical examination, and take a personal and family medical history. They will also consider the 11 criteria mentioned above. Biomarkers are antibodies, proteins, genetic, and other factors that can show a doctor what is happening in the body or how the body is responding to treatment. The signs and symptoms of lupus that you experience will depend on which body systems are affected by the disease.
The most common signs and symptoms include:. As an autoimmune disease, lupus occurs when your immune system attacks healthy tissue in your body. It's likely that lupus results from a combination of your genetics and your environment.
It appears that people with an inherited predisposition for lupus may develop the disease when they come into contact with something in the environment that can trigger lupus. The cause of lupus in most cases, however, is unknown. Some potential triggers include:. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission.
This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Lupus is a disease that occurs when your body's immune system attacks your own tissues and organs autoimmune disease. Lupus facial rash Open pop-up dialog box Close. Lupus facial rash A typical sign of lupus is a red, butterfly-shaped rash over your cheeks and nose, often following exposure to sunlight. More Information Lupus: Can it cause hair loss?
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