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“Lupus is an unpredictable and misunderstood disease in which the immune system is out of balance, causing damage to [possibly] any organ system in the body,â Diane Magerko, a volunteer for Lupus Foundation of America, Illinois Chapter, said.
Lupus is a disease that renders the immune system unable to differentiate the difference between healthy tissue and antigens. This often results in painful swelling and damage to tissue. While the disease is chronic, an individual afflicted with lupus will generally live a normal life expectancy.
The Lupus Foundation of America claims there are 1.5 to 2 million Americans that have some form of the disease. According to the Mayo Clinic, lupus is most common in women, and though it affects people of all ages, it is found most often in people between 15 and 40 years old. As far as race, lupus is most common in African Americans, Hispanics, and Asians.
Although lupus does seem to run in families, there are no known genes that cause the illness. Doctors do feel, however, that a person can inherit a predisposition for lupus.
Lupus might be triggered after coming in contact with some environmental factor such as extreme stress, exposure to ultraviolet light, some medicine, some infections, chemical exposure, and smoking. Hormones may also be involved due to the fact that symptoms seem to flare up in women before their menstrual periods and/or during pregnancy.
The term âlupusâ is derived from the Latin word for âwolf.â When the disease was first being recognized in the 18th century, a distinctive butterfly-shaped rash appeared frequently on the exterior of the patientâs face. After healing from the inside out, a wolf-like bite imprint was all that remained.
There are four types of lupus, but I will be referring to systemic lupus erythematosus, or SLE, which is known simply as lupus. It is extremely difficult to diagnose this disease due to the fact each individual experiences different symptoms that may develop in the person slowly or quickly and may change intensity levels with time.
Milder cases experience symptoms in a few organs, but more severe lupus cases include heart, kidneys, lungs, blood, and nervous system problems.
Even the risk for non-Hodgkinâs lymphoma, lung cancer, and liver cancer can be increased through having lupus. SLE symptom flare-ups can include achy and swollen joints, extreme fatigue, hair loss, skin rashes, seizures, weight loss or gain, anxiety problems, fever, kidney problems creating swollen hands and feet, pregnancy issues, among other symptoms.
I asked Mary Dollear, Vice-President of the Lupus Foundation of America, Illinois Chapter, how difficult is it to diagnose Lupus accurately?
âDiagnosing lupus is challenging, and the average diagnosis takes four or more years and three or more doctors. The problem is multi-faceted,” she explained. “First, lupus is difficult to diagnose; thereâs no one test, and the tests available are [only] indicators. Also, the symptoms of lupus mimic other diseases and the severity [of the disease] fluctuates, meaning if a doctorâs appointment is made when the symptoms develop, by the time of the appointment, the symptoms may have changed.
Finally there is a lack of awareness about lupus that results in doctors and patients not knowing the signs and symptoms. One of the foundationâs primary goals in Illinois is to educate the general public about lupus and provide residents with the tools necessary to self-identify and talk to their doctors about lupus.â
Magerko invites all of Sun City to attend her foundationâs âLunch for Lupus Fundraiserâ that will take place on Monday, June 24, at Tufanoâs Restaurant, 1073 W. Vernon Park Place, Chicago at 11:30 a.m. For more information on the luncheon, please contact Diane at 312-310-9156 or lupusilevent.org
Part 2: Lupus diagnosis guidelines and treatment options
