Lupus

Lupus: Introduction

Lupus is an autoimmune disease affecting mostly women and causing various effects throughout different parts of the body. Its severity can range from very mild to extremely serious depending on which body organs are afflicted.

Lupus is difficult to diagnose and often misdiagnosed unless there is a characteristic symptom such as the butterfly-shaped rash over the cheeks. There is no single definitive blood test for lupus and doctors have to make the diagnosis based on a variety of symptoms and diagnostic tests. Lupus is one of a group of conditions with vague symptoms such as fatigue or malaise, and may need to be distinguished from fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, Type 2 diabetes, depression, Lyme disease, multiple sclerosis, or various other conditions. If the main symptoms are joint symptoms, then various other causes of arthritis need to be considered.

Symptoms of Lupus

• Some of the most common symptoms are:
  • Vague symptoms
  • Extreme fatigue
  • Malaise
  • Unexplained fever
• more symptoms...»

See full list of 126 symptoms of Lupus

Home Diagnostic Testing

Home medical testing related to Lupus:

• Menopause: Related Home Testing:
  • Home Menopause Tests
  • Home FSH Hormone Tests
  • Home Osteoporosis Testing
• Vaginal Health: Home Testing:
  • Home Vaginal Infection Tests
  • Home Vaginal PH Tests
  • Home Yeast Infection Tests
  • Home Candida Kits
  • Home Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) Test Kits
  • Home Bladder Test Kits
• Breast Cancer: Related Home Tests:
  • Home Breast Cancer Test Kits
  • Home Breast Lump Detection
• more tests...»

Lupus: Complications

Review possible medical complications related to Lupus:

• Lupus nephritis
• Arthritis
• Peripheral neuropathy
• Sensory neuropathy (see Tingling)
• Psychological problems
• Paranoia
• more complications...»

Medical Textbooks Online about Lupus

Book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic Tests for Lupus

• Antinuclear antibody (ANA) test
• Anti-DNA antibody test
• Anti-Sm antibody test
• Anti-RNP antibody test
• Anti-Ro (SSA) antibody test
• more tests...»

See full list of 15 diagnostic tests for Lupus

Wrongly Diagnosed with Lupus?

• Misdiagnosis of Lupus
• Failure to diagnose Lupus
• Hidden causes of Lupus (possibly wrongly diagnosed)
• Undiagnosed: Lupus

Lupus: Medical Mistakes

• Women's Health Mistakes:
  • Womens Health -- Health Mistakes
  • Contraception -- Health Mistakes
  • Fertility -- Health Mistakes
• more mistakes...»

Lupus: Marketplace Products, Discounts & Offers

Products, offers and promotion categories available for Lupus:

• Mom & Baby
• Pregnancy
• Senior Health
• Womens Health
• more product offers...»

Lupus: Undiagnosed Conditions

Commonly undiagnosed diseases in related medical categories:

• Chronic Major Diseases that are commonly Undiagnosed:
  • High Cholesterol -- Undiagnosed
  • Heart Disease -- Undiagnosed
  • Cancer -- Undiagnosed
  • Depression -- Undiagnosed
  • Type 2 Diabetes -- Undiagnosed
  • Type 1 Diabetes -- Undiagnosed
  • Hypertension -- Undiagnosed
  • Hemochromatosis -- Undiagnosed
  • Metabolic Syndrome -- Undiagnosed
• more undiagnosed conditions...»

Misdiagnosis and Lupus

Lupus is often misdiagnosed as other conditions: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), often simply called "lupus", is a difficult disease to...read more »

Cluster of diseases with difficult diagnosis issues: There is a well-known list of medical conditions that are all somewhat difficult to diagnose, and all can present in a variety of different...read more »

Alzheimer's disease over-diagnosed: The well-known disease of Alzheimer's disease is often over-diagnosed. Patients tend to assume that any memory loss or forgetulness symptom might be Alzheimer's, whereas there are...read more »

Dementia may be a drug interaction: A common scenario in aged care is for a patient to show mental decline to dementia. Whereas this can, of course, occur due to various medical conditions, such as...read more »

Rare type of breast cancer without a lump: There is a less common form of breast cancer called inflammatory breast cancer. Its symptoms can be an inflammation...read more »

Tremor need not be Parkinson's disease: There is the tendency to believe that any tremor symptom, or shakiness, means Parkinson's disease. The reality is that there are various possibilities, such as benign essential tremor, which is...read more »

Rare diseases misdiagnosed as Parkinson's disease: A rare genetic disorder is often misdiagnosed as Parkinson's disease for men in their 50's. The disease Fragile X...read more »

Read more about Misdiagnosis and Lupus

Lupus: Research Doctors & Specialists

Research related physicians and medical specialists:

• Pregnancy & Fertility Health Specialists:
  • Maternal & Fetal Medicine
  • Obstetrics & Gynecology
  • Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility
  • Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine
• Womens Health Specialists:
  • Gynecological Oncology
• Immune-Related Disease Specialists (Immunology):
  • Allergy & Immunology (Allergies & Immune Diseases)
  • Pediatric Allergy and Immunology (Child Allergies & Immune Diseases)
  • Immunopathology
  • Dermatological Immunology / Diagnostic Laboratory
  • Clinical & Laboratory Immunology
• Senior Health Specialists (Geriatrics):
  • Geriatric Medicine (Senior Health Specialist)
  • Geriatric Psychiatry (Senior Mental Health)
• more specialists...»

Other doctor, physician and specialist research services:

• Rate Your Doctor Online
• Research Your Doctor Online
• Review Patient Surveys About Your Doctor
• Research local specialists including ratings, affiliations, and sanctions.

Hospitals & Clinics: Lupus

Research quality ratings and patient safety measures for medical facilities in specialties related to Lupus:

• Womens Health -- Hospital Quality Ratings
• Senior Health -- Hospital Quality Ratings
• Nursing Homes & Aged Care Facilities -- Quality Ratings
• more hospital ratings...»

Hospital & Clinic quality ratings » »

Choosing the Best Hospital: More general information, not necessarily in relation to Lupus, on hospital performance and surgical care quality:

• 50 Best Hospitals Report
• Outstanding Patient Experinece Award Winning Hospitals
• Women's Health Best Hospitals
• Patient Safety
• Hospital Quality and Clinical Excellence Study (2009)

Lupus: Rare Types

Rare types of diseases and disorders in related medical categories:

• Chronic Major Diseases -- Rare Types:
  • High Cholesterol -- Rare Types
  • Heart Disease -- Rare Types
  • Cancer -- Rare Types
  • Depression -- Rare Types
  • Type 2 Diabetes -- Rare Types
  • Type 1 Diabetes -- Rare Types
  • Hypertension -- Rare Types
  • Hemochromatosis -- Rare Types
  • Metabolic Syndrome -- Rare Types
• more rare diseases...»

Causes of Lupus

• There are 38 known medications to cause DIL but there are three that report the highest number of cases: hydralazine, procainamide, and isoniazid
• more causes...»

Read more about causes of Lupus

More information about causes of Lupus:

• Medications, drugs, or substances causing Lupus (14 listings)
• Underlying causes of Lupus
• Lupus as a complication caused by other conditions
• Medical news summaries relating to Causes of Lupus

Treatments for Lupus

• Corticosteroids
  • Corticosteroid creams
  • Prednisone (Deltasone)
  • Hydrocortisone
  • Methylprednisolone (Medrol)
• more treatments...»

See full list of 47 treatments for Lupus

Latest Treatments for Lupus

• Avoid sun exposure
• Avoid trauma
• Topical corticosteroids
• Betamethasone
• Intralesional corticosteroid
• more treatments...»

See full list of 16 latest treatments for Lupus

News Archives for Lupus

Medical news articles related to Lupus include:

• Birth Control Pills Linked to Lupus Risk
• Cancer Drug May Offer New Hope for Lupus Patients
• Blood Cancer Drug Shows Promise Against Lupus
• Genes Boost Risk for Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus
• Gene May Explain Women's Heightened Lupus Risk
• more health news...»

Source: HealthDay News

Videos for Lupus

Patient Surveys for Lupus

• Patient Profile Survey
  Take Survey  View Results
• Survey about the symptoms of your Lupus
  Take Survey  View Results

Prognosis for Lupus

Prognosis for Lupus: Normal lifespan possible for many patients. Remissions and relapses common. 5-year survival about 97%; 10-year survival about 90%. (NWHIC).

More about prognosis of Lupus

Reseach about Lupus

Visit our research pages for current research about Lupus treatments.

Clinical Trials for Lupus

The US based website ClinicalTrials.gov lists information on both federally and privately supported clinical trials using human volunteers.

Some of the clinical trials listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for Lupus include:

• Safety and Efficacy Study of LJP 394 (Abetimus Sodium) to Treat Lupus Kidney Disease - This study has been completed (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - Abetimus sodium (LJP 394)
• Study of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
• Study of LJP 394 in Lupus Patients With History of Renal Disease - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - abetimus sodium (LJP 394)
• Treating Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) Patients With CTLA4-IgG4m (RG2077) - This study is no longer recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - CTLA4-IgG4m (RG2077)
• TNF Blockade With Remicade in Active Lupus Nephritis WHO Class V (TRIAL ) - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - infliximab,azathioprine
• more trials...»

See full list of 204 Clinical Trials for Lupus

Statistics for Lupus

• Medical statistics for Lupus
• Prevalence and incidence statistics for Lupus
• Death and Mortality statistics for Lupus
• Society statistics for Lupus

Lupus: Broader Related Topics

• Autoimmune diseases
• Rheumatic conditions
• Systemic disorders
• Connective tissue disorders
• Diseases contagious contagious mother-to-fetus
• more types...»

Types of Lupus

Types of Lupus

• Discoid lupus erythematosus
• Drug-induced lupus - caused by a particular medication.
• Neonatal lupus - affecting babies of women with lupus.
• more types...»

Read more about Types of Lupus

Curable Types of Lupus

Possibly curable types of Lupus include:

• SLE of the joints
• Retinal vasculitis related to SLE
• Psychosis related to SLE
• Deep vein thrombosis related to SLE
• Acute ischemia related to SLE
• Drug( isoniazid, hydralazine, chlorpromazine) associated SLE
• more types...»

Rare Types of Lupus:

Rare types of Lupus include:

• Retinal vasculitis related to SLE
• Psychosis related to SLE
• Deep vein thrombosis related to SLE
• Acute ischemia related to SLE
• Drug( isoniazid, hydralazine, chlorpromazine) associated SLE
• Discoid lupus
• more types...»

Stories from Users Related to Lupus

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• Does this sound like lupus?
• Recently Diagnosed with Lupus
• Could this be lupus??? Please help.
• Lupus? Fibromyalgia? Antipsychotics??? Menopause?
• wondering if symptoms are at all consistent with Lupus or something else?
• Do I have Lupus or what else might it be?
• Disseminated candidasis, sarcoidosis
• Is this lupus,MS,fibro or something else-help please
• Lupus: Diagnosed Jan 2007! Misdiagnosed and sick for over 15 years..
• Can you still have Lupus and not test positive for ANA?
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• Tests for Lupus negative
• Lupus ( I have finger numness)
• Looking for Lupus People
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• I think I may have Lupus
• Lupus Patient Addicted to Drugs
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User Interactive Forums

Read about other experiences, ask a question about Lupus, or answer someone else's question, on our message boards:

• I can not get a diagnosis. Please help.
• Tell us your medical story.
• Share your misdiagnosis story.
• What is the best treatment for this?
• See all the forums.

Article Excerpts about Lupus

NINDS Neurological Sequelae Of Lupus Information Page: NINDS (Excerpt)

Lupus (also called systemic lupus erythematosus or SLE) is a disorder of the immune system which normally functions to protect the body against invading infections and cancers. In lupus, the immune system is over-active and produces increased amounts of abnormal antibodies that attack the patient's own tissues. Lupus can affect many parts of the body, including the joints, skin, kidneys, lungs, heart, nervous system, and blood vessels. The signs and symptoms of lupus differ from person to person, and the disease can range from mild to life-threatening. (Source: excerpt from NINDS Neurological Sequelae Of Lupus Information Page: NINDS)

Handout on Health Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: NIAMS (Excerpt)

Lupus is a disorder of the immune system known as an autoimmune disease. In autoimmune diseases, the body harms its own healthy cells and tissues. This leads to inflammation and damage to various body tissues. Lupus can affect many parts of the body, including the joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lungs, blood vessels, and brain. (Source: excerpt from Handout on Health Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: NIAMS)

Connective Tissue Diseases: NWHIC (Excerpt)

An inflammation of the connective tissues, SLE can afflict every organ system. It is up to nine times more common in women than men and strikes black women three times as often as white women. The condition is aggravated by sunlight. (Source: excerpt from Connective Tissue Diseases: NWHIC)

Lupus Fact Sheet: NWHIC (Excerpt)

Lupus is an autoimmune disease in which the body literally attacks itself, harming its own healthy cells and tissues. It can affect the joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lungs, blood vessels, and brain, causing inflammation and damage to tissues. (Source: excerpt from Lupus Fact Sheet: NWHIC)

Definitions of Lupus:

RAEB: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). an autoimmune connective tissue disease with variable features. - (Source - Diseases Database)

Any of several forms of ulcerative skin disease - (Source - WordNet 2.1)

Ophanet, a consortium of European partners, currently defines a condition rare when it affects 1 person per 2,000. They list Lupus as a "rare disease".
Source - Orphanet