Lupus – Four Different Categories

Lupus is a disease that causes the immune system to attack healthy tissues. It affects about 1.5 million Americans. Ninety percent of Americans are women. Lupus is a very difficult disease to diagnose because each lupus patient may show different symptoms. The number of symptoms may vary among patients. There are 4 different classes of lupus.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) constitute about 70 percent of cases of lupus. About 15 percent of people with SLE symptoms during their teenage years. This is the most dangerous form of lupus. In this form of lupus, the immune system attacks any system or organ in the body including joints, skin, lungs, heart, blood, blood vessels, kidneys, heart, liver, brain, tendon, pancreas or nervous system . People between the ages of 15 and 44 are most likely to develop SLE. Symptoms of SLE can range from innocuous to life threatening. Over 50 percent of all lupus patients in the United States have some degree of brain swelling. Between 3 and 20 percent suffer strokes. Some of the other most common symptoms include kidney damage, chronic fatigue and joint pain or swelling. Many people with SLE found that UV rays from the sun or fluorescent lights your condition worse. Other symptoms may include unexplained fever, muscle pain, loss of appetite, hair loss, a butterfly-shaped rash over the nose and cheeks (malar), sores in the nose or mouth, serositis, seizures and a lower number than normal red blood cells (anemia), white cells or platelets. In addition, approximately 95% of people with SLE have a positive ANA test.

Discoid lupus erythematosus (LED) is less harmful than the LES, since it only affects the skin. DLE causes of disc-shaped rash raised red (discoid) to appear on the cheeks, face, neck, scalp, ears and other body parts. These eruptions are much more pronounced than those caused by SLE. They may become scaly and thick and lasts for years. It can also cause scarring. Only 10 to 15 percent of lupus cases are cases LED. Also, 10 percent of patients develop SLE DLE.

Drug-induced lupus erythematosus (DILE) is caused by the use of certain drugs. Some of these drugs include antiseizure drugs hydralazine, procainamide, and medications for acne. Cocaine use and exposure to mercury can also induce Dile. Men are more likely to develop DILE because they need to use hydralazine and procainamide to treat certain heart conditions. Between 10,000 and 15,000 Americans are diagnosed each year with DILE. The symptoms of DILE are similar to those of SLE, but symptoms are usually less pronounced. Symptoms may appear only after taking a certain medication for months or years. Even if you stop taking the medication, symptoms may not disappear until several weeks or months have passed.

Neonatal lupus is a rare disease acquired by infants of mothers with celiac disease or other immune system disorder. Scientists believe that the fetus acquires maternal antibodies, which can cause liver problems, rash and low counts of blood cells. About 50 percent of these children are born with a heart defect permanently. A pacemaker could be used to help with the heart defect.

About 10 percent of people with lupus have symptoms of a second or more connective tissue diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, myositis, scleroderma and Sjogren’s syndrome.