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Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) shortly known as Lupus, is an autoimmune disease where the immune system of the body malfunctions and attacks the body’s cells and tissues.
The immune system that normally protects our body starts generating antibodies that that attack healthy issues of muscles, joints, heart, lungs, kidneys, blood vessels and the nervous system. One of the most common symptom is the inflammation or swelling of joints and muscles.
There are different types of Lupus that can affect due to various factors:
- Drug-induced lupus erythematosus, a drug-induced form of SLE; this type of lupus can occur equally in either gender
- Lupus nephritis, causes inflammation of the kidneys
- Discoid lupus erythematosus, this type of lupus causes a skin disorder where red rashes appear on the face, scalp and the rest of the body
- Subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus, this type of lupus causes non-scarring skin lesions on patches of skin that are exposed to sunlight
- Neonatal lupus, is a rare disease that affects new born babies when the mother affected by SLE. In most cases the maternal antibodies attack the fetus, causing skin rash, liver inflammation, low blood count and a heart block that might cause bradycardia
The course of the disease is unpredictable with periods of intense inflammation and remissions where the swelling subsides without any apparent reason. Lupus is known to be most common in women and can affect at any age though the exact cause of the disease is not known.
It has been theorized that certain external factors can also trigger Lupus such as specific medications, viruses, sun exposure and severe stress. Though the disease can be treated through steroids and immunosuppressant there is no permanent cure available currently.
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