|
ANN ARBOR,
MI - When Cynthia Nichols-Jackson woke up one day and could
barely get out of bed because her joints hurt so badly she obviously
knew something was wrong. But what she didn't realize was how serious
it was.
"At about
age 26, right after I graduated from nursing school, I woke up one
morning and was unable to get out of bed," says Nichols-Jackson.
"I rested all day and the following day I went to my doctor.
He felt it was just a flu-like symptom, but I just never recovered."
Cynthia was
later diagnosed with lupus,
an autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to attack the
body's own tissue and organs. As in Cynthia's case, lupus often
is difficult to diagnose because its symptoms mimic other illnesses.
However, according to Joseph McCune, M.D., Director of the Rheumatology
Clinic at the University
of Michigan Health System, diagnosing lupus has greatly improved
over the past 30 years.
"In the
past, because there were limited tests available to diagnose lupus,
many patients were not diagnosed until they had already gravely
damaged their organs," says McCune. "The ability to diagnose
lupus, and the awareness of lupus among physicians, is much better
than it used to be."
What is
lupus?
Systemic lupus
erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease. This means that your
body's defenses against infection are attacking your own tissue,
which causes inflammation. Areas of the skin or joints become painful,
red, and swollen. Other parts of the body can also become inflamed,
including the muscles, kidneys, nervous system, blood, lungs, and
heart. Kidney disease affects 50 percent of lupus patients.
According to
the Lupus Foundation of America,
it is estimated that approximately 1.4 million Americans have a
form of lupus. McCune says more women than men suffer with this
disease.
"Lupus
usually affects women who are of child bearing age," McCune
says. "Women are 10 times more likely than men to be affected.
And, in non-white Americans, the rate of lupus is two to three times
more prevalent."
The exact cause
of lupus is not known. There may be an inherited tendency to develop
the disease. In some people, lupus becomes active after exposure
to sunlight, infections, or certain medications. However, lupus
is not contagious. You can't give it to someone else.
What are
the symptoms of lupus and how is it diagnosed?
Lupus can take
many forms and does not affect everyone in the same way. Some of
the more common symptoms are:
- Fatigue
and weakness
- Joint pain
and swollen joints
- Rashes
- Baldness
- Sensitivity
to sunlight
"Patients
with the new onset of lupus typically see their doctor because of
a rash in sun-exposed areas, arthritis, chest discomfort, or fatigue,"
McCune notes. "When a physician suspects lupus, an antinuclear
antibody test, or ANA, is performed to help determine if the patient's
immune system is affected by lupus."
How is lupus
treated?
There is no
cure for lupus, but treatment is steadily improving. A variety of
medications ranging from anti-inflammatory drugs (such as ibuprofen)
to potent immune suppressive drugs may be needed at different times.
Treatment will vary depending on the patient and can change as the
disease changes within the patient. At the present time, there are
highly effective therapies for lupus, but many of them also have
severe side effects. An important focus of the lupus research being
done at UMHS is focusing on reducing treatment side effects without
compromising effectiveness.
"Another
consequence of lupus can be heart disease," McCune notes. "The
rate of heart disease in people who suffer from lupus is eight times
that of someone who does not have the disease. In young women, it's
50 times as likely. Learning to prevent heart disease in lupus patients
is also a major research endeavor here at the University of Michigan."
Living with
lupus
"Many
patients with lupus can achieve satisfactory control of most aspects
of their illness and lead relatively normal lives," says McCune.
"We tell our patients to eat right and exercise and keep their
weight down, control their blood pressure, and not to smoke. So
right from the beginning, we plan for the patient to live to the
healthiest possible old age by improving their lifestyle."
Cynthia has
learned to live with lupus. She manages her disease with medication
and a healthy lifestyle. "I'm learning to eat not so much high
fat foods and trying to exercise and increase my level of activity.
This along with my medication is helping me remain healthy."
Facts about
lupus
- Systemic
lupus erythematosus (SLE) or lupus is an autoimmune disease.
- Lupus is
a chronic disease that rarely goes away completely.
- The exact
cause of lupus is not known.
- Lupus can
be managed with medications and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
There is no cure for lupus.
- The Lupus
Foundation of America estimates that approximately 1.4 million
Americans have a form of lupus.
- Ninety percent
of individuals with the disease are women.
- Lupus is
two to three times more prevalent among non-white Americans.
For more
information, visit the following websites:
UMHS Health
Topics - Lupus Erythematosus
www.med.umich.edu/1libr/aha/aha_lupus_crs.htm
UMHS - Antinuclear
Antibodies Test (ANA)
www.med.umich.edu/1libr/aha/aha_antinucl_crs.htm
National Institutes
of Health (NIAMS) - Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
www.niams.nih.gov
Lupus Foundation
of America, Inc.
www.lupus.org
National Kidney
Foundation
www.kidney.org
Written
by Carrie Hagen
E-mail
this information to a friend
Recent
Press Releases
Return
to Medical School Home Page
|
