Lupus Erythematosus LE(pronounced: er-uh-thee-muh-toe-sus) was given its name by a 19th century French doctor who thought that the facial rash of some people with lupus looked like the bite or scratch of a wolf ("lupus" are Latin for wolf and "erythematosus" is Latin for red).
Lupus Erythematosus were first recognized as a disorder of the skin.
The name was given to differentiate this disorder from the skin changes found when tuberculosis affects the skin.
The severity of the systemic disorder appears to be inversely related to the severity of the skin disorder.
Lupus are an unpredictable disease.
Signs of the disease appear and disappear, sometimes for no apparent reason.
Because lupus assume so many different forms and can change, finding the right balance of treatment for you may take time.
Your treatment will depend on the symptoms you experience and the organs affected.
Once an effective treatment program has been started, continue to follow it.
If your symptoms change, let your doctor know so that you can work together to modify your program.
People who may have Lupus also experience symptoms such as:Fatigue along with dizziness, headaches or depression, unexplained fever, which may be an early sign of lupus Even though the cause of lupus is unknown, researchers think that many factors may trigger the disease.
Genetics may play a role.
Some people may have a genetic predisposition to lupus that is then activated by an infection, certain medications, or extreme physical or emotional stress.
The hormone estrogen may also play a role in lupus and could help explain why it is more common in females than males.
Lupus also occur more frequently in African Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans than in Caucasians.
Lupus can affect almost any part of your body, including your joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lungs, blood vessels, and brain.
There is no way to know what part of your body will be affected.
For most people though, lupus are a mild disease affecting only a few parts of your body, and some patients don't get inner organ problems (like in the heart and lungs), but do have skin and joint problems.
A blood test called an ANA, which detects a group of autoantibodies found in the blood of people with lupus.
These autoantibodies attack the body's own cells.
However, this test is not diagnostic of lupus.
Other laboratory tests to detect specific antibodies such as anti-DNA or an anti.
An a SM may be helpful in diagnosing lupus or related diseases.
The Treatmentplan for lupus includes taking medications to reduce the inflammation and reduce the activity of the immune system, balancing rest with exercise, and maintaining a proper diet.