Research Paper On Lupus

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Lupus Lupus is a serious, chronic and debilitating autoimmune illness that can affect many organs in the body with an unpredictable course; it impacts nine times more women than men, often in the prime of their lives (15 - 45 years). Lupus can be difficult to diagnose since symptoms may be mistaken for other illnesses. Common symptoms may include extreme fatigue, painful and swollen joints, unexplained fever, skin rashes and kidney problems. Since Lupus is an autoimmune illness, which means that the body's natural defense system attacks its own tissues instead of attacking foreign substances like bacteria and viruses. This causes inflammation. Inflammation causes swelling, pain, and tissue damage throughout the body. There are five types…show more content…
Some doctors may diagnose you with different illnesses due to the symptoms. Some people might only show one or two symptoms and have this disease. That is why it is very hard for doctors to diagnose you if you have Lupus. Your doctor will check for Lupus by examining you and asking you questions about your medical history and common symptoms and doing some urine and blood tests. It is easier for your doctor to diagnose Lupus if you have the most common symptoms and your blood has certain proteins. The proteins are called antinuclear antibodies, or ANA. But other problems can cause your body to make ANA’s so doctors will use blood test and other tests to find out if you have…show more content…
• Although lupus can strike men and women of all ages, 90 percent of individuals diagnosed with the disease are women. Most people will develop lupus between the ages of 15-44. • Systemic lupus accounts for approximately 70 percent of all cases of lupus. In approximately half of these cases, a major organ, such as the heart, lungs, kidneys or brain, will be affected. Cutaneous lupus (affecting only the skin) accounts for approximately 10 percent of all lupus cases. Drug-induced lupus accounts for about 10 percent of all lupus cases and is caused by high doses of certain medications. The symptoms of drug-induced lupus are similar to systemic lupus; however, symptoms usually subside when the medications are discontinued. • In approximately 10 percent of all cases, individuals will have symptoms and signs of more than one connective tissue disease, including lupus. A physician may use the term "overlap syndrome" or "mixed connective tissue disease" to describe the illness. • 20 percent of people with lupus will have a parent or sibling who already has lupus or may develop

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