The Lupus Foundation of Pennsylvania

What is Lupus? | Who Gets Lupus? | What Triggers Lupus? | Prognosis

What is Lupus?

Lupus is a chronic, inflammatory disease in which the body's immune system fails to
serve its normal protective functions and instead forms antibodies that attack healthy tissues and organs. You can think of it as your body being allergic to itself. For most people, lupus is a mild disease affecting only a few organs. For others, it may cause serious and even life-threatening problems.

Who Gets Lupus?

It is estimated that 1.4 to 2 million Americans have been diagnosed with lupus, making it more common than leukemia, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and cystic fibrosis - combined. Lupus can occur at any age and in either sex, although it appears 10 times more frequently in women than in men. The symptoms of the disease are the same in men and women. Lupus affects 1 out of every 185 Americans. The disease is more prevalent in African-Americans, Latinos, Native Americans and Asians.

What Triggers Lupus?

The cause of lupus is unknown. While scientists believe there is a genetic predisposition to the disease, it is known that certain factors also play a critical role in triggering lupus. In a patient who is predisposed, the following factors may play a role in setting off the disease: infections, antibiotics (especially those in the sulfa group) or certain other medications, pregnancy, ultraviolet light, and extreme stress. Although lupus is known to occur within families, there is no known gene, which is thought to cause the illness.

Prognosis

The idea that lupus is generally a fatal disease is one of the gravest misconceptions
about this illness. In fact, the prognosis of lupus is much better today than ever before. It
is true that medical science has not yet developed a method for curing lupus and some people do die from complications of the disease. Better diagnostic techniques and
evaluation methods and a more cautious use of medications have given physicians the tools to more effectively manage lupus symptoms and complications. Today, with early diagnosis and current methods of therapy, 80-90 percent of the people with lupus can
look forward to a normal lifespan.

For further information on any Lupus topic such as pregnancy, research and photosensitivity, please contact Barbara Hastings at: 1-800-800-5776.