What is lupus?
Lupus is a chronic (long-lasting) autoimmune disease where the immune system, for unknown reasons, becomes hyperactive & attacks normal tissue. This attack results in inflammation & brings about symptoms.

What does autoimmune mean?
'Auto' means 'self', so autoimmune literally means that the immune system fights the body itself. Instead of fighting & attacking the bad tissues, such as viruses, it turns on itself & attacks the good tissues.

What is inflammation?
It is a protective process our body uses when tissues are injured. Inflammation helps to eliminate a foreign body or organism (virus, bacteria) & prevent further injury. Signs of inflammation include- swelling, redness, warmth & pain.

What are antibodies?
Antibodies are proteins produced by white blood cells (B lymphocytes). Their normal function is to glue up bacteria and make them easy for the white blood cells to capture and destroy. When the immune system goes wrong, antibodies can be formed that bind to bits of the body (an auto-antibody). Sometimes infection can cause auto-antibodies to be produced and this may be one of the causes of Lupus. The antibodies circulate in the blood, but some of the body's cells have walls permeable enough to let some antibodies in. These can then attack the DNA in the cell's nucleus. That's why some organs can be attacked during a flare while others aren't.

What are the different kinds of lupus?
Discoid lupus (also known as Cutaneous lupus) affects the skin.
Systemic lupus attacks multiple systems in the body which may include- the skin, joints, blood, lungs, kidneys, heart, brain & nervous system.
Drug-induced lupus may develop after taking certain prescription medications. Symptoms generally disappear after the drug is discontinued.

What are the symptoms of systemic lupus?
The symptoms can include- Arthritis (swelling and pain of the joints), muscle pain and weakness, fatigue, sun-sensitivity, hair loss, "Butterfly" or malar rash (a rash across the nose and cheeks), fever, anaemia, headaches, recurrent miscarriages. For more symptoms & descriptions of symptoms see the symptoms page. Some people will have only a few symptoms, others may have them all.

What are the symptoms of discoid lupus?
They include a variety of different looking skin rashes, photosensitivity, & sometimes mouth or nose ulcers.

How is discoid lupus different to systemic lupus?
Discoid Lupus is confined to the skin, whereas systemic lupus may involve any organ system in the body, as well as the skin.

Can discoid lupus turn into systemic lupus?
In approximately 10% of discoid lupus cases, it evolves & develops into systemic lupus. However, this can't be predicted or prevented from happening.

What is the difference between drug-induced lupus & systemic lupus?
Systemic lupus is irreversible, whereas drug-induced lupus generally is reversible. The symptoms of drug-induced lupus generally do not include- kidney involvement or central nervous system involvement.

What drugs are most commonly associated with drug-induced lupus?
The following medications have been definitely proved to be associated with drug-induced lupus-Procainamide (used for heart rhythm abnormalities), Hydralazine (used for high blood pressure), Isoniazid (used for tuberculosis), Quinidine (used for heart rhythm abnormalities), Phenytoin (used for seizures). There are other drugs which might possibly be associated with drug-induced lupus, but as yet there is no definite proof.

Should people diagnosed with SLE or discoid lupus avoid taking the drugs associated with drug-induced lupus?
Most of the drugs associated with drug-induced lupus can be safely used in people with SLE or discoid lupus if there are no suitable alternatives.

How soon after taking the drug do the symptoms appear, & how long after stopping the drug do they disappear?
Drug-induced lupus requires months to years of frequent use of a drug before symptoms appear. Usually symptoms disappear after six months after stopping the drug, but it could be days r weeks, it varies. The ANA may remain positive for years.

What causes lupus?
The exact cause is unknown, but it is likely to be a combination of factors. A person's genetic make-up & exposure to certain trigger factors may provide the right environment in which lupus can develop.

Is lupus hereditary?
It is suspected that people inherit something from their parents that predisposes them to develop lupus. They are not necessarily pre-destined to develop lupus, but they may be more susceptible. Relatives of lupus patients have an approximate 5-12% greater tendency to get the disease if family members have it.

How common is lupus?
It is not known why, but lupus occurs more often in certain ethnic groups. The incidence in Caucasians is approx. 1:1000. In African-Americans, the incidence is approx. 1:250. In Latinos the incidence is approx. 1:500.

What can trigger lupus?
It is believed that certain things may trigger the onset of lupus or cause lupus to flare, these include- Ultraviolet light, certain prescription drugs & antibiotics, infections or viruses, hormones & stress.

Are there any medications people with lupus should avoid?
There are no absolute contraindications to medications for people with lupus. But, as people with lupus are usually 'allergic' people, your doctor should watch for any connection between flares & medications, especially oral contraceptives, sulfa antibiotics & penicillin.

Is there a test for systemic lupus?
No, there is not a single diagnostic test for SLE.