| Lupus is an autoimmune disease that can affect | | | | In addition to the butterfly rash over the cheeks and |
| various parts of the body, including the skin, joints, | | | | bridge of the nose, other common skin symptoms |
| heart, lungs, blood, kidneys and brain. Normally the | | | | include skin sores or flaky red spots on the arms, |
| body's immune system makes proteins called | | | | hands, face, neck, or back; mouth or lip sores; and a |
| antibodies, to protect the body against viruses, | | | | scaly, red, or purple raised rash on the face, neck, |
| bacteria, and other foreign materials. These foreign | | | | scalp, ears, arms, and chest. |
| materials are called antigens. | | | | Causes of Lupus |
| If you have lupus, your immune system attacks | | | | Lupus is not known it is likely that there is no single |
| healthy cells and tissues by mistake. This can damage | | | | cause but a combination of genetic, environmental, |
| your joints, skin, blood vessels and organs. There are | | | | and possibly hormonal factors that work together to |
| many kinds of lupus. The most common type, | | | | cause the disease. Lupus is not contagious-you can't |
| systemic lupus erythematosus, affects many parts | | | | catch it from someone. No specific "lupus gene" has |
| of the body. Discoid lupus causes a rash that doesn't | | | | been found, but it does run in families. |
| go away. Subacute cutaneous lupus causes sores | | | | The causes of lupus are not completely understood, |
| after being out in the sun. Another type can be | | | | the disease is believed to result from an interplay of |
| caused by medication. Neonatal lupus, which is rare, | | | | genetic, environmental (such as ultraviolet light, |
| affects newborns. | | | | stress, infections, certain drugs and chemicals) and |
| Symptoms of Lupus | | | | hormonal factors. |
| For most lupus sufferers, including Jane, lupus is a mild | | | | Although an identical twin is much more likely to have |
| disease affecting only a few organs. For others, it | | | | lupus if her identical sibling has lupus, the likelihood of |
| may cause serious and even life-threatening problems. | | | | developing the disease in the unaffected twin is not |
| No two cases of lupus are exactly alike. Signs and | | | | 100%. Despite the nearly identical genetic makeup of |
| symptoms may come on suddenly or develop slowly, | | | | identical twins, the probability of the unaffected twin |
| may be mild or severe, and may be temporary or | | | | developing the disease if the other twin has it is |
| permanent. Most people with lupus experience | | | | around 30-50% or less. |
| episodes — called "flares" — of worsening signs | | | | Sun exposure (ultraviolet light) is a known |
| and symptoms that eventually improve or even | | | | environmental agent that can worsen rashes of lupus |
| disappear completely for a time. | | | | patients and sometimes trigger a flare of the entire |
| Lupus can be hard to diagnose because its | | | | disease. |
| symptoms can vary from one person to the next. | | | | Doctors don't know what causes autoimmune |
| The symptoms can also make lupus look like certain | | | | diseases, such as lupus. It's likely that lupus results |
| other diseases. For example, like Chantelle, people | | | | from a combination of your genetics and your |
| with lupus may feel weak and fatigued. They may | | | | environment. Doctors believe that you may inherit a |
| have muscle aches, loss of appetite, swollen glands, | | | | predisposition to lupus, but not lupus itself. Instead, |
| and hair loss. Sometimes they have abdominal pain, | | | | people with an inherited predisposition for lupus may |
| nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. | | | | only develop the disease when they come into |
| Most people with lupus develop skin rashes.These | | | | contact with something in the environment that can |
| rashes are often an important clue to the diagnosis. | | | | trigger lupus, such as a medication or a virus. |