Lupus Erythematosus

Definition

It is an autoimmune disease which occur when the body's tissues are attacked by its own immune system. It is characterized by fever, skin lesions, joint pain or arthritis and anemia, and often affecting the kidneys, spleen, and various other organs. The disease primarily affect women of childbearing age and have a variety of clinical forms. Patients with lupus produce abnormal antibodies in their blood that target tissues within their own body rather than foreign infectious agents. When internal organs are involved, the condition is called systemic lupuserythematosus.

Drug-induced lupus erythematosus occurs as a result of a hypersensitivity reaction to a medication. The drug may react with cell materials, causing the body to react to itself and form antinuclear antibodies .

Causes of lupus erythematosus

Lupus is considered to be a multifactorial condition. Multifactorial inheritance means that "many factors" are involved in causing a health problem.The possible causes of lupus erythematosus are:-

• The pain in the joints, mal lead to the condition of lupus erythermatosus.
• Environmental factors: such as viruses, the ultraviolet rays in sunlight, Silica dust, and allergies to medications are among the main causes of lupus erythermatosus.
• Genetic factors: They increase the tendency of developing autoimmune diseases, and autoimmune diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and immune thyroid disorders are more common among relatives of patients with lupus than the general population.
• Reversible drug-induced lupus; The drugs which are responsible for lupus are procainamide (Procanbid), hydralazine, and isoniazid (Laniazid).
• The defect in the normal biological process of clearing old and damaged cells from the body, which then causes an abnormal stimulation of the immune system.
• The injuries in the vessels may also contribute in the formation of lupus erythematosus.

Symptoms of lupus erythematosus

Symptoms of lupus erythematosus are as:-

• There may be chest pain upon deep breathing.
• You may have the feeling of extreme fatigueness.
• Painful ulcers in the mouth, nose and genital areas are among the directly affected by lupus erythematosus.
• Neurological symptoms :headaches, seizures, trouble thinking or stroke may also there if the patient suffers from this disease.
• Loss of vision may occur in chronic condition.
• The swollen joints, may be seen in lupus erythematosus.
• The Red rashes commonly occur on the face.
• This disease may result in loss of appetite .
• Weight loss is common in lupus erythematosus.
• Unusual loss of hair may be due to lupus erythematosus.
• Swelling in legs or around eyes are the early symptoms of lupus erythematosus.
• The glands may swell.

Treatment of lupus erythematosus

Treatments for lupus erythematosus are:-

• Corticosteroids such as prednisone and other immunosuppressive drugs such as azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, and cyclosporine.
• Antimalarials: Antimalarials are another type of drug commonly used to treat lupus. A common antimalarial used to treat lupus is hydroxychloroquine.
• For people with joint or chest pain or fever, drugs that decrease inflammation, called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, are often used. NSAIDs may be used alone or in combination with other types of drugs to control pain, swelling, and fever.
• Conservative treatment include ibuprofen and naproxen (Naprosyn) and are appropriate for patients with muscle or joint pain, fatigue, skin manifestations, and other features that are not life-threatening.