Lupus

BY: RILEY POOLSON.

What is Lupus?

 Lupus is an autoimmune disease.

 A disease in which the immune system
begins to attack healthy organs.
 There are 4 different types of Lupus.
 People have known about the disease
since the Middle Ages.
 Wasn’t considered a real disease until
1904.
Types of Lupus.

 There are 4 known types of Lupus.

 Systemic Lupus:
 Lupus that affects the heart, lungs, kidneys, or brain.
 Cutaneous Lupus:
 Affects the skin.
 Drug-Induced Lupus:
 Is Systematic Lupus caused by certain medications.
 Acts like an allergy.
 Neonatal:
 Lupus that affects a pregnant mother’s unborn child.
 The child will have symptoms of Systemic Lupus up until about 6 months after birth.
Genetics and Causes
of Lupus.

 Lupus is mostly caused by genetics and

the environment.
 Lupus is more common in women then in
men.
 Usually affects women who are in their
child-bearing ages (15-44).
 People who are related to others who
have Lupus are more likely to get Lupus.
 The affected genes are passed down from
generation to generation.
Statistics.

 At least 1.5 million Americans have a from of Lupus.

 That’s about .004% of the population.
 Women of color are 2-3 more times as likely to get Lupus.
 1/537 African-American women in the U.S. have the disease.
 Only 10-15% of Lupus cases or fatal.
 20% of Lupus patients are related to someone else with Lupus.
How is it Diagnosed?

 Lupus is quite hard to diagnose because

of its symptoms.
 Doctors often confuse the symptoms with
other diseases that are similar.
 Doctors run blood tests for Lupus.
 Doctors use a type of screening called
ANA (Antinuclear Antibody).
 The test looks for blood cell count and
number of different blood cells.
 The test looks for the common symptom of
low blood cell and white blood cell count.
What are Lupus’ symptoms?

 Because Lupus is a complex disease with many forms, there are many
symptoms.
 Rashes.
 Most common with Cutaneous Lupus.
 Mouth Sores.
 Arthritis.
 Heart and Lung Inflammation.
 Main symptom of Systemic Lupus.
 Kidney problems.
 Low Blood Cell Count.
 Key Symptom in diagnosing Lupus.
How is it Treated?

 Lupus is a chronic disease, and treatment

varies on severity of symptoms.
 There is no cure for Lupus yet, making
treatment important.
 Anti-Inflammatory Drugs.
 Reduces Inflammation caused by Lupus.
 Corticosteroids.
 Suppresses Immune System in life-
threatening cases.
 Combination Treatment.
 Most doctors combine treatments to even
out the negative side affects.
Reducing Risk.

 There are three main ways to reduce getting Lupus or making a case of
Lupus more severe.
 Exercise.
 Exercising is a good way of reducing risk of getting Lupus from the environment.

 Doctor’s Advice.
 If you thin you are at risk, get tested.
 If you have Lupus, listen to suggestions from the doctor.

 Medication.
 If someone has Lupus medication is the best way to reduce the severity of the disease.
5 Interesting Facts.

 The color for Lupus awareness is purple.

 Lupus Awareness Month is May.
 73% of Americans have never heard or
know very little about Lupus.
 There are over 100 genetic variations that
can lead to getting Lupus.
 The name “Lupus” was given to the
disease by a doctor named Rogerius in
the Middle Ages because “lupus” means
wolf in Latin. The name describes the
features on the skin that he thought
looked like wolf bites.
Citations.

 “Lupus Facts and Statistics.” Lupus Resource Center, Lupus Foundation of America, 30
Oct. 2017, resources.lupus.org/entry/facts-and-statistics.
 “Lupus.” Rheumatology.org, www.rheumatology.org/I-Am-A/Patient-Caregiver/Diseases-
Conditions/Lupus.
 “About Lupus - What Is Lupus? | Lupus Research Alliance.” Lupus Research,
www.lupusresearch.org/understanding-lupus/what-is-lupus/about-lupus/.
 “Lupus.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, 24 Nov. 2017, www.cdc.gov/lupus/index.htm.
 “Prognosis and Life Expectancy.” Lupus Resource Center, Lupus Foundation of America,
26 Sept. 2017, resources.lupus.org/entry/prognosis-and-life-expectancy.
 Smith, Kadesha Thomas. “Understanding the Genetics of Lupus.” Lupus Resource Center,
Lupus Foundation of America, 4 Dec. 2017, resources.lupus.org/entry/genetics.
 “The History of Lupus.” Lupus Resource Center, Lupus Foundation of America, 26 Sept.
2017, resources.lupus.org/entry/history-of-lupus.