Systemic lupus erythematosus. (Arthritis)

SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS

SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS, also referred to as SLE or simply lupus, is one of the most serious of all of the rheumatic diseases because it can involve the kidneys or other vital organs. Like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus occurs predominantly in women, but the reasons for this are not known. It may strike at any age, from childhood into the sixties and seventies, but most patients with lupus will develop it when they are young adults. The symptoms largely depend upon the organs involved, and as the disease runs its course, usually over a period of years, different target organs may be affected. The degree of disease activity varies from potentially life-threatening flare-ups to complete remissions.

The cause of systemic lupus erythematosus is not known, but certain facts have emerged as a result of years of intensive research. It appears that patients with systemic lupus erythematosus have a defect in their immune system, particularly with the regulation of the production of antibodies, the protein substances that normally help to defend against infections. In systemic lupus erythematosus, many of these antibodies are defective or ineffective for their intended purpose, and are directed against one or more of the body's normal tissues. Sometimes, this "autoantibody" formation leads to damage to a vital tissue. They may develop an antibody…