16. •
?Who Gets Lupus
Anyone , But more than 90% of people are women. :
• African-American, Latino, or Asian
• Aged 15 to 45
• Related to someone with lupus
19. Self-Care for Lupus
• Cover up when you're in the sun
• Don't smoke.
• Exercise regularly.
• Improve your stress management skills.
• Also be sure to get plenty of rest..
49. Livedo reticularis can be a normal condition that is simply more •
.obvious when a person is exposed to the cold
Livedo reticularis can also be an indicator of impaired circulation. •
:Livedo reticularis has been reported in association with
.Autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus •
Abnormal antibodies referred to as phospholipid antibodies. •
Examples of these antibodies are the cardiolipin antibody and
.falsely positive testing for syphilis
A syndrome featuring phospholipid antibodies with multiple brain •
strokes .It is felt that the blood of these patients has a propensity to
.clot which may predispose to stroke
50. Erythematous, warm, plaques in light •
exposed distribution(also on patient's
neck), consistent with recrudesence of
known Subacute Cutaneous Lupus
Erythematosus(SCLE ).Image courtesy of
.Diego Jarrin, M.D
51. Joint and muscle pain is often the first sign •
of lupus .This pain tends to occur on both
sides of the body at the same time,
particularly in the joints of the wrists,
hands, elbows, knees, or ankles .The
joints may look inflamed and feel warm to
the touch .But unlike rheumatoid arthritis,
lupus usually does not cause permanent
.joint damage
52. A tell-tale sign of lupus is a butterfly- •
shaped rash across the cheeks and bridge
of the nose .Other common skin problems
include sensitivity to the sun with flaky, red
spots or a scaly, purple rash on various
parts of the body, including the face, neck,
and arms .Some people also develop
.mouth or lip sores
53. Lupus can cause the nails to crack or fall •
off .They may be discolored with blue or
reddish spots at the base .These spots
are actually in the nail bed, the result of
inflamed small blood vessels .Swelling
may also make the skin around the base
.of the nail look red and puffy
54. The symptoms of lupus tend to come and •
go, and this includes hair loss .Patients
may go through periods where their hair
falls out in patches or becomes thinner all
across the scalp .Once the flare-up is
over, new hair is likely to grow in evenly
55. Some people with lupus develop a condition •
called Raynaud's phenomenon .Their fingers
and toes become painful, numb, and tingly in
response to cold temperatures or emotional
stress .This happens when small blood vessels
spasm and restrict blood flow to the area .During
an attack, the fingers and toes may turn white or
blue .People can also have Raynaud's without
having lupus or any serious health
.complications
56. When lupus begins, it can look a lot like •
rheumatoid arthritis, which causes joint
pain and swelling, or fibromyalgia, which
causes fatigue and pain .One aspect that
sets lupus apart is the combination of skin
rashes with joint pain and fatigue .There
are also lab tests that can help distinguish
lupus from other diseases
. •
57. Diagnosing lupus can be tricky .The disease can •
mimic other conditions, and it often takes a
different course in different people .Many people
have it for years before developing tell-tale
symptoms .Although there is no one test for
lupus, certain proteins usually show up in a
patient's blood .A blood test for antinuclear
antibodies(ANAs )can provide a critical clue.
Other lab tests may check cell counts, kidney
function, and clotting time .A tissue biopsy
.sometimes helps with diagnosis
58. Digestive problems are not common with •
lupus, but some people may experience
belly pain, nausea, vomiting, difficulty
swallowing, or inflammation of the liver or
pancreas .This can be related to lupus
itself or medications used to treat the
disease .Some people tend to lose weight
.during lupus flare-ups
59. Depression and anxiety are a risk for people with •
lupus .This may be the result of the condition's
affect on the nervous system combined with the
emotional strain of coping with a chronic illness.
Be sure to discuss any concerns about your
mood with your doctor or other health care
provider .There are highly effective treatments
for depression and anxiety
. •
60. Most women with lupus can get pregnant, •
though the condition increases the risk of
complications during pregnancy .Because lupus
symptoms come and go, the best time to get
pregnant is when symptoms are at a minimum.
Women who conceive when symptoms are in
remission are less likely to have flare-ups or
complications .Make sure your obstetrician
knows you have lupus .You medications may be
modified and you may undergo extra monitoring
.to ensure a successful pregnancy
61. Most babies born to women with lupus are •
entirely healthy .But in rare cases, the
newborn of a mom with lupus may have
neonatal lupus .This condition can cause a
skin rash, anemia, or liver problems .The
symptoms usually go away after a few
months and don't cause permanent
damage .However, some babies with
neonatal lupus are born with a serious
.heart defect
62. The fatigue and joint pain associated with •
lupus can make it more difficult to do your
job or care for your children .You may
have to cut back on activities or ask for
help when symptoms flare up .But most
people with lupus are able to continue with
.their usual activities
63. Thanks to improvements in treatments for •
lupus, people with the condition are living
significantly longer .The outlook for any
given individual depends on how severe
the disease is, and whether any vital
organs are affected .But most people with
lupus can expect to live a normal or nearly
.normal life span
