WHAT IS LUPUS?

What is Lupus?
  Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease which affects many Canadians,  In lupus, the immune system that protects the body from germs, viruses and bacteria begins to malfunction and fails to distinguish between the body's own tissues and these foreign invaders.  As a result, the immune system attacks different parts of the body itself, causing inflammation in those tissues.  This inflammation gives rise to the symptoms that characterize lupus.

Lupus is a member of the autoimmune family of diseases, which included rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, juvenile diabetes, scleroderma and others.  Lupus is not a form of cancer, is not related to AIDS and is not contagious.

Systemic lupuserythematosus (SLE) is the most common and serious type of lupus.  The autoimmune reaction in SLE may target any tissue of the body, including the skin, muscles, joints, blood and blood vessels, lungs, heart, kidneys and/or brain.

Who gets lupus?
Lupus can affect men, women and children of all ages,   However, it develops most frequently in women between the ages of fifteen and forty-five.  In this age range, lupus is eight times more common in women than in men.  For individuals younger than 15 or older than 45, lupus seems to affect either sex equally.

Other types of lupus
Discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) and subacute cutaneous lupus (SCLE) are two types of lupus where the skin rashes and sun sensitivity are the primary sympotoms.  DLE may cause a red scaly rash to appear on the face, scalp, ears, arms, and/or chest, while in SCLE, rashes typically occur on the arms and upper body.  With these types of lupus, the internal organs are spared and general health is not affected.

A small number of individuals (approximately 10%) who are diagnosed with these more limited types of lupus may later develop symptoms of systemic lupus.  As well, DLE and SCLE may sometimes be present with SLE.  Tests are performed to rule out SLE whenever DLE or SCLE are diagnosed.