Sle- A Complete Guide

By Author: Susan P. Temme
Total Articles: 2

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus or commonly known as SLE, is a chronic inflammatory disease that occurs commonly in woman as compared to man. In this article, we will provide you sneak peek on the causes, symptoms and treatment of this disease.
Causes

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus is a disorder in which body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues of the body. This disease can affect the skin, joints, kidney, brain and other organs. The underlying cause behind this auto immune disorder is not fully known. This kind of disorder generally affect woman more than men during the childbearing age. Mostly, African Americans and Asians are more prone to this disease as compared to other races.

This disorder can be caused by some drugs.
Symptoms of SLE
The symptoms of SLE may vary from one person to another person, and it may come and go. Almost every person suffering from SLE has the problem of joint pain and swelling and some people develop arthritis. The joints of fingers, knees, hands and wrist are often more affected. Here we have mentioned the symptoms of this disease in detail:

•Chest Pain while taking a deep breath
•Tiredness
•Fever without any specific cause
•General discomfort or feeling of uneasiness
•Mouth blisters
•Hair Loss
•Sensitivity towards light
•Skin Rash- a butterfly rash is often found among half of the people suffering from SLE. The rash is mostly seen over the cheeks or on the bridge of the nose, but the infection can spread and it may get worse in sunlight.
•Swelling of Lymph Nodes
Other symptoms, depending upon the part of body that is infected:
•Brain-If SLE affects brain, the patient may experience: Dizziness, Tingling sensation, seizure, vision problems, numbness, personality disorder, etc.
•Digestive Tract- If digestive tract is affected then it may cause abdominal pain and vomiting
•Heart- If SLE affects heart; the patient may suffer from abnormal heart beats also called as arrhythmias
•Lungs- If SLE affects lungs, then the patient may have difficulty in breathing, prestitent cough
•Skin- Change in colour of skin when the atmosphere is cool, patchy skin colour
•Some people may suffer from skin symptoms only and it is called as discoid lupus.

Diagnosis of SLE
In case, the patient is suffering from lupus, 4 out of these 11 symptoms are present. Depending upon the symptoms the doctor will conduct a physical examination test and listen to the sounds of your chest. An abnormal sound is called as heart friction rub or pleural friction rub. After it, nervous examination is conducted.
Tests that are used to diagnose SLE entail:
•Anti Body Test it may also include anti nuclear antibody panel
•X Ray of Chest
•CBC or complete blood test
•Kidney Biopsy

In case the doctor finds some complications or want to learn more about the condition, then they may demand for other tests like:
•Antithyroglobulin antibody test
•Coombs Test
•ESR
•Antithyroid Microsomal Antibody
•Liver test
•Kidney test
•Cyroglobulins test
•Complement components test
•Rheumatoid test
Treatment of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

There is no specific cure for SLE. The major goal of the treatment is to take control of the symptoms. Severe symptoms like that of heart, kidney, lungs and other parts of the body require specialized treatment from the specialists.

Mild forms of this disease can be treated with the help of medicines like:
•The drugs like ibuprofen for joint pain and pleurisy is recommended
•Corticosteroid is recommended for mild rashes
•Antimalaria drug and low dosage of corticosteroid is recommended for skin rash and arthritis symptoms
In case the patient is suffering from severe lupus, then the treatment includes:
•High dosage of corticosteroids to decrease this auto immune disorder
•Cytotoxic Drugs or drugs that hinder the cell growth are highly recommended. These medicines are used only if the patient doesn’t get well with corticosteroids or if the symptoms get worse when you stop taking them. The side effects of these drugs can be so severe that you need to monitor closely or under the strict supervision of medical professional.

If the patient is suffering from SLE, it is important that he/she should:
•Wear protective clothing and sunglasses when exposed to sun
•Remain upto date with immunization
•Go for medical check ups regularly
•Consult heart care specialist
Complications
SLE can lead to severe complications in the body if not treated well. Some of the complications include:
•Blood clots in the legs or lungs
•Destruction of RBC or it may lead to anemia
•Pregnancy complications including miscarriage
•Stroke
•Very low platelet count
•Inflammation of the blood vessels
•Inflammation of the heart
•Damage to the skin tissue
When to call medical professional?
If you experience any such symptom, then it is better to consult medical professional immediately otherwise it may lead to complications.
For more information please visit http://www.kennisha.com/systemic-lupus-erythematosus-sle/