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Systemic Lupus Erythematous

Systemic lupus erythematosus i/sɪˈstɛmɪk ˈluːpəs ˌɛrɪθiːməˈtoʊsəs/, often abbreviated as SLE or lupus, is a systemic autoimmune disease (or autoimmune connective tissue disease) in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks normal, healthy tissue. This can affect the skin, joints, kidneys, brain, and other organs. And can result in symptoms, such as inflammation and swelling. When the immune system is functioning normally, it makes proteins called antibodies that protect and fight against antigens, like viruses and bacteria. Lupus causes the immune system to be unable to differentiate antigens and healthy tissue. As a result, the immune system directs antibodies against the healthy tissue, which causes swelling, pain, and tissue damage. Although the underlying cause of autoimmune diseases is unknown, most doctors believe that lupus results from both genetic and environmental stimuli.

There are many kinds of lupus, but the most common type is systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), which affects many internal organs in the body.SLE most often harms the heart, joints, skin, lungs, blood vessels, liver, kidneys, and nervous system. The course of the disease is unpredictable, with periods of illness (called flares) alternating with remissions. The disease occurs nine times more often in women than in men, especially in women in child-bearing years ages 15 to 35, and is also more common in those of non-European descent.[2][3][4]

While there is currently no cure for SLE it is treated with immunosuppression- mainly with cyclophosphamide, corticosteroids and other immunosuppressants. The goal of these treatments is to keep symptoms under control. SLE can be fatal. The leading cause of death is from cardiovascular disease due to accelerated atherosclerosis. Survival for people with SLE in the United States, Canada, and Europe has risen to approximately 95% at five years, 90% at 10 years, and 78% at 20 years,[2] and now approaches that of matched controls without lupus.

Childhood systemic lupus erythematosus generally presents between the ages of 3 and 15, with girls outnumbering boys 4:1, and typical skin manifestations being butterfly eruption on the face and photosensitivity.[1]

Neurological Neural symptoms contribute to a significant percentage of morbidity and mortality in patients with lupus.[26] As a result, the neural side of lupus is being studied in hopes of reducing morbidity and mortality rates.[21] The neural manifestation of lupus is known as neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE). One aspect of this disease is severe damage to the epithelial cells of the blood–brain barrier. Lupus has a wide range of symptoms, which span the body. The neurological symptoms include headaches,[23] depression, seizures, cognitive dysfunction, mood disorder, cerebrovascular disease,[23] polyneuropathy,[23] anxiety disorder, psychosis, and in some extreme cases, personality disorders.[27] In certain regions, depression reportedly affects up to 60% of women suffering from SLE.[28]

Headache is a common cause of medical consultation and probably the most ubiquitous neurological symptom in both primary care and specialist neurological clinics. Headaches are divided into primary and secondary headaches. Primary headaches have no underlying cause, while secondary headaches are in fact due to an underlying cause.

A meta-analysis by Dimos D. Mitsikostas, examined the controversies in the occurrence and implications of headaches in patients who suffer from SLE. Mitsikostas studies concluded that all primary headache syndromes in SLE patients were not significantly different from those in the general population or non-lupus patients. However, migraine with aura may be more frequent among SLE patients.

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