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What is lupus? Lupus is an incurable
autoimmune disorder characterized by flare-ups of disease activity
of unpredictable duration, generally followed by symptom-free
periods. Its wide variety of symptoms
range from mild to life threatening, and often mimic other diseases.
Because of this, lupus is referred to as "The Great Impostor"
What
is an autoimmune disorder?
Autoimmune disorders attack
"self." The immune system in a person who has
lupus produces too many antibodies. Some of these antibodies
become auto-reactive (attack self) and inflame and damage tissues
and organs. Current thinking is that auto-immune disorders result
from faulty communication between B cells and T cells. (B cells
normally produce antibodies or stop producing them on direction
from T cells). It is thought that in lupus, this communication
goes awry and B cells may not get the message from T cells to stop making antibodies,
or the message B cells do receive is scrambled.
(Click on the drop-down menu item,
Immune Response, to view what happens in lupus)
(Click on the drop down menu item, Medline, to view an overview
tutorial on lupus)
Who
gets lupus? Women between the ages of 20 and 40 most
often get lupus; in fact, nine times more women than men get
it. Children also get lupus, but much less frequently. The number
of lupus patients worldwide is not well documented. The disease
may affect as many as 1 in 1000 people or be more prevalent.
What
causes Lupus? The cause or causes have not been isolated,
but scientists throughout the world are studying the immune system.
Much attention now is on immunoregulation, the switch-like mechanism
that turns the immune response on and off. (See "What is
an autoimmune disorder" above.)
What
is being done? Scientific Studies: Researchers are investigating hormonal, genetic,
viral, and environmental causes. Many are focusing on the immune
system's communication process, and in particular a method to
determine which B cells develop the ability to attack self. Lupus
Canada is undertaking the task of collecting and posting to their
web site the research that is taking place worldwide. This project
will begin in November 2000. Clinical Management: Physicians
today have a better understanding of lupus, more reliable diagnostic
tests, and a greater variety of treatments to offer patients.
Volunteer Sector: Proactive men and women who have lupus,
or who have an interest in lupus, work together within self-help
organizations across Canada and beyond to promote awareness,
educate patients, lobby for improvements, and raise funds for
research.
Symptoms
Read about the symptoms
and treatments here
and at http://www.hopkins-arthritis.som.jhmi.edu/other/lupus.html
Literature
Links
to Other Informational sites
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