Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Immune System

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Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Anatomy & Physiology Immune System Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or also called Lupus is an autoimmune disorder. Which means that the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue, it may affect the skin, joints, kidneys, brain, and other very important organs. This ultimately leads to chronic (long-term) inflammation. The severity of the disease varies, from mild cases only involving the skin to severe cases affecting multiple organs, including the brain. Lupus sufferers experience flares or intervals of active disease and…show more content…
Some patients develop arthritis. Other common symptoms patients report are chest pains when taking a deep breath, fatigue, fever with no cause, general discomfort- uneasiness, or just an ill-feeling also included are hair loss, mouth sores, sensitivity to sunlight, swollen lymph nodes, and a “butterfly” rash over the cheeks and bridge of the nose affects about half of people with SLE. The rash gets worse in sunlight and may also be widespread. Other symptoms depending on which part of the body is affected include Brain and nervous system symptoms: headaches, numbness, tingling, seizures, vision problems, and personality changes. Digestive tract: symptoms are abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. For the heart the symptom are abnormal heart rhythms, Symptoms for the lungs are coughing up blood and difficulty breathing. Skin symptoms include patchy skin color, the skin around the fingers changes color when cold, and for patients that only have skin symptoms its called Discoid

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