After a skin and kidney biopsy, numerous blood tests, the results are preliminary and the doctor suspects the following; Systemic lupus erythematous SLE (or simply lupus) 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 (however, 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 persons own tissues and foreign tissues. This conflict leads to inflammation (the normal body response to injury 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 ones self, are involved in this process and are typical 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 make 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 persons own tissues. The result is an autoimmune reaction which causes the inflammation that affects the specific tissues or organs in SLE. Who gets lupus? Women of child-bearing age (15 to 45) are most often affected. Indeed, in that particular age group, lupus 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 every 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 or leukemia. Lupus is diagnosed worldwide. In Canada, estimates of the number of lupus patients range from 15,000 (based on the number of patients followed in various University Hospital Lupus Clinics throughout the country) to 50,000 (based on the figures used by the Lupus Foundation of America, adjusted to the Canadian population). At any rate, it is clear that SLE is not a rare disease in Canada. Lupus is not contagious. Lupus is not an infection. It is not contagious, meaning that it cannot be passed from person to person like a cold, the measles or the flu. It is not a form of cancer. There is absolutely no relationship between lupus and AIDS. So, if anyone has any questions, please do not hesitate to call me. Thank you for the many positive thoughts and prayers, Sabrina is making slow progress. The swelling on her feet and inflammation on her knees are not as bad as it was when she first went to the hospital. The red spots are still visible and today, after a day surgery, she must not move for 24 hrs.
Posted on: Wed, 24 Sep 2014 23:23:35 +0000
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