Lupus: causes, symptoms and treatment

There are several forms of lupus such as discoid lupus erythematosus, medicamentous lupus, neonatal lupus. In this article we are only interested in the systemic lupus erythematosus – also called systemic lupus or systemic lupus erythematosus -, the most common form of lupus.

What is lupus?

Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease who can touch different parts of the body such as the joints, the skin, the kidneys, the heart (the reason why we speak of systemic lupus). In people with this disease, the immune system becomes disrupted and turns against the body’s own cells in order to destroy them. Lupus is characterized by alternating periods of flare-ups and periods of remission. During periods of relapses, the symptoms intensify… before decreasing and then disappearing during periods of remission. These periods of remission can last for weeks, months, and even years…

What causes lupus?

The organization of people with lupus makes antibodies that will attack healthy tissue. Unfortunately, we do not know what causes lupus, but certain elements favoring the disease have been identified: hormonal factors, genetic predisposition, environmental factors such as UV rays, tobacco, exposure to certain viruses, etc. Certain drugs used to treat another disease can also trigger symptoms of lupus which will go away when the offending drug is stopped; then we are talking about drug lupus.

What are the symptoms of lupus?

The very name of the disease, lupus, refers to one of the most characteristic symptoms, namely a rash on the facein the shape of a mask called a wolf (from the Latin lupus). Not necessarily present in all patients, of varying intensity… the symptoms are numerous and varied. Among them :

• Joint pain, stiffness and swelling
• Extreme tiredness
• Unexplained and ongoing weight loss
• Weight gain due to fluid retention
• Unexplained fever outbreaks
• Swollen glands
• A red patch on the top of the cheeks and at the root of the nose in the shape of butterfly wings
• Great sensitivity to the sun (red rashes)
• Painless sores in the mouth or nostrils
• Leg swelling
• Vision disorders
• Depressed state
• Memory issues
• Muscle aches.

Systemic lupus: who is affected?

Women are 9 times more affected than men. Lupus appears mainly in women of childbearing age – between 15 and 40 years old -, with a peak frequency between 30 and 39 years. Lupus is more common in certain ethnic groups: African Americans, Native North Americans, and Asians, likely due to genetic predisposition.

In metropolitan France, the prevalence is estimated at 40 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. In the West Indies, the disease is more common and affects 94 people out of 100,000 in Guadeloupe and 127 people out of 100,000 in Martinique¹.

Can lupus be cured?

Today, we still do not know the cause of lupus and there is no no definitive remedy to this disease. On the other hand, we can act on the various symptoms in order to relieve the ailments of the patients. For example, people with lupus are advised to protect themselves from the sun since UV exposure is known to trigger flare-ups or worsen symptoms …

1. Systemic lupus erythematosus: definition and contributing factorson ameli.fr.