KNOWING ABOUT LUPUS

Healthy Greetings,

May 10 is World Lupus Day.

What is Lupus?

Lupus disease or in its medical language called Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is one of the most common diseases in humans. Although a lot of people suffer from lupus, knowledge about the disease is still minimal.

In Indonesia, the number of people with lupus is not known yet. However, according to data from Yayasan Lupus Indonesia (YLI), the number of lupus patients in Indonesia in 2012 reached 12,700. This number then increased to 13,300 in April 2013.

Most lupus sufferers are very aware of lupus disease. In addition to the symptoms is difficult to note, symptoms of lupus disease also vary in each person, depending on the number and type of antibodies produced and the affected organ.

Here some fact about lupus :

1. Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease

Lupus is an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation of the connective tissue and can damage multiple organs. Lupus occurs when there is a problem with the immune system and then invades the body. It can affect the joints, skin, lungs, heart, blood vessels, kidneys, nervous system, and blood cells.

2. There are types of lupus

Lupus disease is divided into several types, namely:

  • Systemic lupus Erythematosus, the most common type of lupus that attacks joints and organs
  • Discoid lupus, which attacks the skin causing skin rashes will not disappear
  • Lupus due to drug use
  • Neonatal lupus, attacking newborns
  • Subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus, causing exposed skin to feel pain in the sun

3. 90 percent of lupus patients are woman

This disease most often affects women, even women 10 times the risk of having lupus than men. Most often, lupus develops in people aged 18 to 45 years. Although lupus is most common in women, it can also affect men and children, as well as people of all ages. In addition, pregnant women will also be more susceptible to lupus. If lupus occurs during pregnancy, be careful, maternal and fetal health may be impaired, especially if not treated quickly.

4. Hard to diagnose

The diagnosis of lupus is not easy and is often delayed because the symptoms that arise resemble the symptoms of various diseases. That is why, lupus is known as a disease that has 1000 faces. Because the symptoms are difficult to know, it is a challenge for the medical world to find new ways to make a proper diagnosis of lupus early on.

There are laboratory tests that can help the medical team in diagnosing lupus, but the results are not very accurate. That is why, to diagnose this disease, doctors need a long time. Doctors usually make a diagnosis of a combination of symptoms that the patient experiences following a medical history, family and laboratory tests.

5. Treatment depends on the symtomps

Until now lupus treatment depends on the signs and symptoms caused. For example, if a diagnosis of the cause is a disorder of the immune system in the joint, then that is the part that will be treated by a doctor. Generally, doctors will prescribe NSAID drug classes, ie non-steroidal antiimflammatory drugs such as ibuprofenapabila symptoms caused joint pain, muscle aches, fatigue, and skin rashes. However, your doctor may prescribe high-dose medications if there are complications that are present in some organs. That is why, the drug can also cause tremendous side effects.

6. The cause of lupus can not be known for certain

Just as the symptoms caused, the exact cause of lupus is still unknown. Although research shows that the gene factor plays an important role, but it is not the only one. For example, many studies have shown that sunlight and drugs can also trigger lupus.

7. Lupus patients can live a normal life

With extra careful lupus monitoring and appropriate treatment adjustment, most lupus patients can live a normal life. The greatest enemy of this disease comes from within the patient, when the patient loses hope, loses his temper, and gives up, causing frustration and even depression that even adversely affect his health.

Hopefully this article is useful in improving your knowledge of lupus disease.

Source: Yayasan Lupus Indonesia, Hello Sehat, healthline.com

Illustration: healthline.com