Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Analysis

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease that can potentially affect all of the systems of the body. This disease can often be seen along with other autoimmune disorders. SLE is characterized by the antibodies of a patient beginning to attack normal healthy cells. “The Lupus Foundation of America estimates that 1.5 million Americans, and at least five million people worldwide, have a form of lupus,” The Lupus Foundation of America (2015). It is often difficult and can take up to six years for a patient to be diagnosed and treated for the disease. Lupus can affect both the central nervous system as well as the peripheral nervous system. The antibodies made in patients with lupus can attack and destroy the nerve cell within
This disease often manifests itself as Arthritis at first.
Although lupus is normally seen as the lone cause for most patients, they can also have symptoms of other autoimmune diseases as well. Doctors refer to these as overlap diseases. The characteristics of this disease include severe vasculitis, renal involvement, and lesions on the skin and nervous system. “The Lupus Foundation of America estimates that 1.5 million Americans, and at least five million people worldwide, have a form of lupus,” The Lupus Foundation of America (2015). It is often difficult and can take up to six years for a patient to be diagnosed and treated for the disease. As with other autoimmune diseases, the immune system of a patient with lupus begins to attack its own body with antibodies. These “Lupus” antibodies are Anti-Phospholipid Antibodies. That means that they are directly focused at attacking the fatty components of the cell membrane known as phospholipids, as well as the certain blood proteins that bind with the phospholipids, and the complexes that form when they bind together. This causes a breakdown in cell structure and cause scarring that may result in the malfunctioning of
The antibodies made in patients with lupus can attack and destroy the nerve cell within each system. They may also reduce the blood flow to the nerves of these systems. In about 50% of lupus patients there is some instance of lung problems associated with the disease. These can include pleuritis, acute lupus pneumonitis, chronic lupus pneumonitis, pulmonary hypertension, and “shrinking lung” syndrome. Patients with shrinking lung syndrome often feel out of breath or breathless and have little or reduced chest expansion. Diagnosing lupus can be very difficult for doctors as each patient could have a different combination of common symptoms associated with other “Overlapping Diseases.” No two cases of lupus are alike. The following are symptoms most commonly associated with systemic lupus: Fatigue and fever, joint pain, stiffness and swelling, butterfly shaped rash across the bridge of the nose and cheeks, skin sores that appear to get worse with exposure to the sun, photosensitivity, fingers and toes that turn white or blue after exposure to cold or during times of high stress (Raynaud’s Phenomenon), shortness of breath, chest pain, dry eyes, headaches, confusion, and memory loss. Due to the commonality of the previously listed symptoms, doctors usually only begin to diagnose lupus if a combination of four or more of the symptom are