Lupus erythematosus is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes inflammation
of various parts of the body such as the skin, joints, blood and kidneys. In an autoimmune condition such as Lupus, the immune system fails to tell the difference between foreign substances (antigens) and its own cells and tissues. The immune system forms antibodies (special protein substances made by the body to defend against bacteria and other foreign substances) that attack healthy tissues and organs. For most people, Lupus is a mild disease affecting only a few body organs; for others, it may cause serious and even life-threatening problems. Some of the following links will direct you to another web page on this Web site. You can click on the "All About Lupus" link shown above to return back to his page:

	Description of Lupus				Lupus Treatment
	Lupus Symptoms				Facts About Lupus
	Test Yourself for Lupus				Questions and Answers About Lupus
	Manifestations				Lupus Gene Ending Found
	Causes of Lupus

Description of Lupus
Discoid Lupus (also known as cutaneous Lupus) is confined to the skin. It is characterized by persistent flushing of the cheeks and /or discoid lesions (i.e. rash) that appear on the face, neck, scalp and other areas of the skin exposed to ultraviolet light. The rash is often raised, scaly and red - but not itchy. These
lesions, if not adequately treated, may cause permanent scars. In approximately
10 percent of those with Discoid Lupus the condition will progress into Systemic Lupus.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) can affect various organs or systems in the body. In some people, only the skin and joints may be involved. For others, the joints, kidneys and blood system may be affected. There may also be cases where multiple organ involvement exists. Lupus is characterized by periods of remissions (times during which few, if any, symptoms are evident) and flares (times during which symptoms become active). When people mention "Lupus" they are usually referring to the systemic form of the disease. --TOP--

Facts about Lupus
Lupus is an autoimmune disease that can affect various parts of the body, especially the skin, joints, blood, kidneys, lungs, heart, nervous system, and/or other body organs or system. It acts as if the body is allergic to itself.

Lupus is more prevalent than AIDS, sickle cell anemia, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, and cystic fibrosis COMBINED. It is estimated that over 1 million Americans have been diagnosed with Lupus; 16,000 people are diagnosed each year.

Lupus affects one out of every 185 people; 90 percent of whom are women. Lupus is more prevelent in African-Americans, Latinos, Native Americans and Asian-Americans.

Only 10 percent of people diagnosed with Lupus will have a close relative (parent or sibling) who already has or may develop Lupus. Only about five percent of the children born to individuals with Lupus will develop the illness.

Although Lupus ranges from mild to life-threatening and 20,000 Americans die with Lupus each year; the majority of cases can be controlled with proper treatment. · Sunlight, infection, injury, surgery, stress or exhaustion can trigger "flares" in Lupus (a more active state of the disease).

Lupus is NOT infectious, rare or cancerous.

Increased professional awareness and improved diagnostic techniques and evaluation methods are contributing to the early diagnosis and treatment of Lupus. With current methods of therapy, 80-90 percent of people with Lupus can lead full normal lives.

While medical science has not yet developed a method for curing Lupus, new research brings unexpected findings and increased hope each year. --TOP--

Causes of Lupus
There is no know cause. Lupus may be caused by a virus or a "cluster of viral influences". Environmental causes are a possibility. Researchers are looking carefully at patients' medical history, and also are seeking genetic, enviromental and viral causes. So far, the cause or causes remain undiscovered.

Researchers Outline Lupus Gene Ending
Colorado researchers working with bioengineered mice say they have identified the first gene that increases the risk of developing Lupus, a crippling and sometimes fatal inflammatory disease. The researchers said that while problems with gene Ifi202 are specifically associated with Lupus, many other subtle gene abnormalities are believed to be involved in the complex disorder.

The research, published in the September issue of the Journal of Immunity, is confined to mice bred to be susceptible to the disease. The finding still needs to be duplicated by other labs and new studies must be conducted to see if the gene is found in humans with Lupus. "We believe this is one piece of the puzzle," said the study's senior investigator, Brian Kotzin of the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver. Other researchers said the gene's discovery, if confirmed, would be "very, very exciting". If it turns out to be true, it would be an enormous advance, said Dr. Klippel, medical director for the Arthritis Foundation and formally a Lupus expert at the National Institutes of Health. "It should not take them very much time at all to move into human genetic research".

Lupus is an autoimmune disease, meaning the body's own defenses attack its health tissues. Many people with Lupus also develop arthritis. In serious cases, it can attack the DNA and proteins in the healthy cells of kidneys and other vital organs. It mostly strikes women of childbearing age. Genetic factors are believed to predispose some people to Lupus, although environmental factors such as infection, drug reactions, hormones and stress may trigger it. Steroids and chemotherapy are used to treat its symptoms, but there is no cure.

Researchers have been searching for a Lupus gene for several years. In 1997, a UCLA group retracted a study claiming to identify a Lupus gene when other labs could not duplicate the work. A research team at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas is investigating a cluster of different genes that, depending on their interaction, may trigger Lupus or suppress it. Last year, German researchers reported that the failure of a key enzyme to mop up dying cells also contributes to Lupus. Lupus appears to share many similarities with diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases, and Kotzin's research may have broader impacts.

"All autoimmune diseases have a ripple effect."

Disclaimer:
The information provided on this Web site, and in other data sources to which it refers, is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be used to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease such as Lupus. Such information is not a substitute for professional care. If you have, or suspect you have, a health problem, and/or wish to commence or modify health care treatment, you should consult your own health care provider. For more information, please contact us.