Systemic Lupus: Chronic Immune System Disease

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What is Lupus? Bios-260 What is lupus you ask? Well, Systemic lupus erthematosus, also known as lupus, is a chronic autoimmune system disease that can affect pretty much any organ of the body. Lupus affects the body’s immune system by pretty much confusing it. The Immune system normally functions to protect against foreign invaders by sending out certain cells that attack and destroy the ailment affecting your body, like an infection or a cold. But with lupus the immune system becomes hyperactive that the immune system begins attacking the body itself. What happens is the immune system sends out what is called B cells to attack an infection, but in Lupus the B cells live longer then they should. These B cells produce an antibody,…show more content…
This lupus is actually named for the coin shaped lesions it causes on the skin. The lesions are categorized by the red scaly patches that appear in the cheeks, nose and ears. Often times they are painful and itchy. Once the lesions go away they leave a dark pigmentation and hair loss in the area they appeared. In cases that the lesions appeared on the scalp, they often permanently damage the hair follicles resulting in permanent hair loss. Drug-induced lupus is similar to SLE, but is brought on my drugs that treat different diseases. Some of the medications that can cause Drug- Induced Lupus include: Anti-seizure medications, Capoten, Infliximab, and Penicillamine. Symptoms tend to occur after 3 to 6 months of taking these drugs. Patients with drug induced lupus have symptoms that affect the joints, heart and lungs. Neonatal Lupus occurs with antibodies cross the placenta in pregnancy from the mother to the child. Children that are born to women who test positive for the antibody SSA/RO are at greater risk of developing lupus, although this occurring is rare. The children who do end up with neonatal lupus will see symptoms like skin rashes and even liver underdevelopment. There is an even rarer chance that they could develop a life-threating heart condition called congenital heart block or…show more content…
Lupus can affect anyone, but it’s been shown more commonly in women in their child bearing ages, which are the ages between 14 and 44. “Lupus affects nine times more women than men.” (Crosta) Lupus is also more common in Latina, Asian, and Native American women. Men are at a higher risk before puberty and after the age of 50 years old. Despite an increase in lupus in men in these age groups, two-thirds of the people who have lupus before puberty and after age 50 are women. African Americans and Latinos tent to be diagnosed with lupus at a younger age and tend to have more severe symptoms, including kidney and heart

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