Lupus
Lupusis an autoimmune connective tissue disease which can cause
inflammation in many different parts of the body. It occurs in two
main forms:
- Discoid lupus - which only affects the skin
- Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) - which affects the skin,
joints and can also affect internal organs such as the heart and
lungs.
In rheumatology, we manage the SLE form of lupus. Lupus is
approximately nine times more common in women than in men and tends
to develop before the age of 50.
Symptoms can include joint pain, skin rash with sensitivity to
sun, extreme tiredness (fatigue), mouth ulcers, hair loss, colour
changes in fingers and toes in cold weather (Raynaud's phenomenon)
and problems with breathing. The diagnosis of lupus is based on
your symptoms, findings on physical examination and specific blood
tests to look for antibodies which cause the condition.
Although there is no cure for lupus, a variety of effective
treatments are available. The treatment you receive will depend on
which parts of the body are affected and the severity of your
disease. Many of these treatments work by suppressing the
immune system to stop it from attacking the tissues and causing
inflammation.
The outlook for lupus has improved with the development of
modern treatments but it remains an unpredictable and variable
condition, with the risk of serious life-threatening complications
affecting the internal organs. Careful monitoring is required so
that complications can be recognised and treated as early as
possible.
Although medications are important in controlling lupus, there
are many things that you can do to help manage this condition.
Wearing a hat and high factor sun cream on exposed skin can help to
prevent skin flares of lupus. Exercising, not smoking and following
a healthy diet will also help to reduce your risk of serious
complications.
Useful resources for patients:
Useful resources for health professionals:
- British Society for Rheumatology (BSR) Guidelines for the
Management of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in Adults
https://academic.oup.com/rheumatology/article/57/1/e1/4318863
- European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) Recommendations on
the Management of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus - 2019 update
https://ard.bmj.com/content/78/6/736
