Lupus Site - a guide for lupus patients and their families

In approximately 10% of cases of discoid lupus, it evolves & develops into systemic lupus.

There are various factors thought to trigger the onset of lupus, or cause lupus to flare, these include - UV light, certain prescription drugs, infection, certain antibiotics, hormones, & possibly stress.

Approximately 95% of lupus patients have a positive ANA test.

90% of lupus sufferers are female.

Only about 30% of lupus sufferers actually have the classical 'butterfly' rash that is associated with lupus.

Approximately 10% of lupus patients actually have drug-induced lupus. Drug-induced lupus is usually less severe than SLE & will disappear after the patient stops taking the particular drug.

Drugs that have definite proof of an association with drug-induced lupus include - Procainamide (Procan or Pronestyl), Hydralazine (Apresoline or Apresazide), Isoniazid (INH), Quinidine, & Phenytoin (Dilantin).

The widely used acne drug Minocycline, has been shown to cause drug induced lupus symptoms.

Drugs known to exacerbate lupus or increase the risk of allergic reactions in people with lupus, include some antibiotics (sulfa, tetracycline)

The term 'lupus' was derived from the Latin word for wolf in an effort to describe one of the disease's most recognisable features, the rash on the cheeks that suggests a wolf-like appearance.

The technical name for the disease we know of as lupus was first applied to a skin disorder by a Frenchman, Pierre Cazenave, in 1851, though descriptive articles detailing the condition date back to Hippocrates in ancient Greece.

Between 1895 & 1903, the great physician William Osler clearly identified that internal organs may be involved & that lupus could take on a 'systemic' form.

In 1948, a pathologist named Malcolm Hargreaves discovered the LE cell (Lupus Erythematosus cell), which was the first blood test used to help diagnose lupus. He found that 70-80% of patients with active SLE possessed these cells.

During the 1950s, the LE cell was shown to be part of an antinuclear antibody (or ANA) reaction. This led to the development of other tests for autoantibodies.

80% of lupus patients develop the disease between the ages of 15 & 45.

The treatment of lupus aims to suppress the overactive immune system & diminish any inflammation.

The most commonly used treatments for lupus are NSAIDs (Non-steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs), Anti-Malarials (known as disease modifying agents), & steroids. These drugs can be used on their own or in combination.

Occasionally immuno-suppressive drugs need to be used, these include Cytoxan, Azathioprine & Methotrexate.

The most common sites for skin rashes in lupus patients are the palms, elbows & face. Often the rashes are subtle, eg. a faint pinkiness may appear around the cheeks & tips of the fingers or on the soles of the feet.

Many lupus patients are very sun sensitive, & therefore need to cover up well when in the sun.

Some lupus patients report of being affected by UV light, eg. from flourescent lights.

There is no way of telling how long a flare will last. After the initial flare, some lupus patients go into remission & never have another flare, but some patients can be in a flare for years.

Lupus patients are more likely to contract infections such as salmonella, herpes zoster & candida(yeast). Infections in lupus patients tend to last longer & require a longer course of treatment with antibiotics than infections in people who do not have lupus.

Fatigue, malaise, sleep disturbances, myalgias, cognitive impairment & gastrointestinal symptoms are frequent in patients with lupus, & yet may occur in the absence of an obvious disease flare or abnormal blood tests.

Fatigue, headache & cognitive dysfunction (memory, attention, concentration) are symptoms associated with central nervous system (CNS) involvement.