Systemic lupus erythematosus
By Nikiba Richards, MBS 2019, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine
Mentor: Jennifer Boardman, PhD
Imagine waking up every day with an intense amount of pain; you’re in so much discomfort that when you breathe, it feels as if an elephant is on your chest. No matter how much sleep you get, you’re always tired. You’re not sure what is wrong with you, but you know that something is just not right. Sadly for myself and millions of other people around the world, the above description is an all too real reality for us.
Each year millions of people are diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus, also known as SLE. SLE is a chronic autoimmune illness; an autoimmune disease is when a person’s immune system is attacking its tissues and organs instead of fighting against outside sources to keep the body healthy. Lupus commonly affects the joints, kidneys, skin, blood cells, brain, heart, and lungs, but lupus can affect virtually any organ system in the body. While SLE can be found in people of all ages, genders, and races, the disease is commonly seen in African-American and Asian females.
In this blog post, I will focus on how SLE affects children and adults and note any differences. Next, I will explore how lupus differs between males and females, and lastly I will discuss the mental health effects that people with SLE live with.
As mentioned before, lupus is an autoimmune disease that can virtually affect any organ in the body. However, SLE mainly affects the joints and the skin, research has found that about 20% of those who have lupus as adults also experienced the disease as children.
As mentioned before, lupus is an autoimmune disease that can virtually affect any organ in the body. However, SLE mainly affects the joints and the skin, research has found that about 20% of those who have lupus as adults also experienced the disease as children.
Childhood SLE (cSLE) shows dominance in females compared to males. Studies have found that when comparing children and adults with SLE, it was found that children tend to have a more aggressive form of lupus. This means that people with cSLE display more symptoms of the disease and experience more flare-ups. An SLE patient flare-up is defined as when their symptoms that are related to their lupus worsen for a certain period of time. For example, when a person is experiencing excessive swelling, fatigue, and or joint pain, these can all be characteristics of a lupus flare. It is important to know that not all flare-ups are identical; even in the same individual the frequency and intensity of a flare-up can differ.
Next, when comparing how SLE affects males and females across most major studies, there is a clear prevalence in female patients. However, studies have found that when males are diagnosed with lupus, they have a more aggressive version of lupus. Similar to cSLE, males who have lupus tend to experience more lupus flares and other serious complications that are associated with the disease such as organ damage. Males are also more likely to experience a death due to complications from lupus.
Lupus is found to not only be a disease that affects the body, but it negatively impacts the mind as well. Research has shown that this is due to the hardships that individuals with SLE face with living a chronic illness. Individuals with lupus relay having feelings of depression, isolation and stress, all impacting their social lives.
Frequently many individuals with SLE state that they battle with the fear of death and rightly so due to the complications that people with SLE experience.
So, why is all of this information important you may ask? Bringing awareness to diseases such as lupus does not only help with funding research, but it also helps with educating the general public. When more people are aware of lupus and the many different ways that the disease can present itself, more people can get diagnosed and treated earlier and this will improve their quality of life. While there is yet to be a cure for systemic lupus erythematosus, I and others like me who are living with the disease hope that by bringing awareness to the illness, more research will be done.
Next, when comparing how SLE affects males and females across most major studies, there is a clear prevalence in female patients. However, studies have found that when males are diagnosed with lupus, they have a more aggressive version of lupus. Similar to cSLE, males who have lupus tend to experience more lupus flares and other serious complications that are associated with the disease such as organ damage. Males are also more likely to experience a death due to complications from lupus.
Lupus is found to not only be a disease that affects the body, but it negatively impacts the mind as well. Research has shown that this is due to the hardships that individuals with SLE face with living a chronic illness. Individuals with lupus relay having feelings of depression, isolation and stress, all impacting their social lives.
Frequently many individuals with SLE state that they battle with the fear of death and rightly so due to the complications that people with SLE experience.
So, why is all of this information important you may ask? Bringing awareness to diseases such as lupus does not only help with funding research, but it also helps with educating the general public. When more people are aware of lupus and the many different ways that the disease can present itself, more people can get diagnosed and treated earlier and this will improve their quality of life. While there is yet to be a cure for systemic lupus erythematosus, I and others like me who are living with the disease hope that by bringing awareness to the illness, more research will be done.
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