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What is lupus? Lupus is a chronic
inflammatory disease that can affect any organ or system in the
body, including the skin, joints, blood, kidneys and central
nervous system. It is an autoimmune disease which means that
the body’s immune system (which normally protects and defends
the body against disease and illness) becomes overactive, often
attacking the healthy tissues of the body. Lupus is, so far,
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,
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
began 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.
History about
the understanding and treatment of lupus.
1845
- Butterfly (Malar Rash) noted as a symptom of disease
1872 - Lupus was iIdentified as acute illness
1894
- Antimalarials were discovered
1957
- ANA test discovered to help diagnoses
1966
- Anti DNA antibodies recognized to be related to illness
1969
-DNA binding test specific in diagnosing and treatment of lupus
from Lupus Canada Bulletin,
Vol 8,
No. 2, 2002
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