Red Wolf Disease (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus), A Simple Guide To The Condition, Diagnosis, Treatment And Related Conditions

This book describes Red Wolf Disease (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus), Diagnosis and Treatment and Related Diseases

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, you are the wolf in my skin
You spread your dreaded disease throughout my being
You put your lupus red butterfly appearance on my face
Then go on to damage my other organs like a amazing race

The antibodies you produced are killing by body cells
In skin, bones, kidneys, heart and everything I can tell
Some medicines also give rise to you like penicillamine
Stress and anxiety also bring out the wolf on the scene

Your LE cells are diagnostic of your involvement
You cause pain through the bones and joint ligaments
You attack my skin, my nerves, my eyes and my heart
Most of all you attack my kidneys tearing them apart

I fear the kidney damage most of all, it will be the cause of my death
Luckily there are medicines like cellcept to keep you at bay
Treat my lung disease or brain dementia and skin dermititis
Relieve the pain of my muscles, bones and polyarthritis

-An original poem by Kenneth Kee

Red Wolf Disease (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus) is a chronic multi-system autoimmune inflammatory disease which attacks the whole body.

Systemic lupus erythematosus obtains its name from the attacking feature of the morbid process in the late medical stages (lupus meaning wolf).

It typically has a butterfly erythrematous (red) rash on the face.

It is not contagious.

There are many kinds of lupus.

1. The most frequent type systemic lupus erythematosus affects many parts of the body.

Other types of lupus are:

2. Discoid lupus erythematosus—causes a skin rash that does not go away

3. Sub-acute cutaneous lupus erythematosus—causes skin sores on parts of the body exposed to sun

4. Drug-induced lupus—can be caused by medications

5. Neonatal lupus—a rare type of lupus that affects newborns.

Ninety percent of lupus patients are women.

Though lupus is most frequent among women, it also may involve men and children, and people of all ages.

It happens in people 18 to 45 years old.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus is an autoimmune disease.

If the patient has lupus, the immune system attacks the healthy cells and tissues.

This can injure many components of the body such as the:
1. Joints
2. Skin
3. Kidneys
4. Heart
5. Lungs
6. Blood vessels
7. Brain.

The classical manifestation of a triad of fever, joint pain, and rash in a woman of childbearing age should start investigation into the diagnosis of SLE.

Skin biopsy can assist in the diagnosis of SLE

There is no cure for SLE at the present moment.

Treatment is to relieve symptoms and prevent organs from deteriorating.

Patients with mild symptoms may not need any treatment:

1. Short course of anti-inflammatory medications such as NSAID or corticosteroids.
2. Rest and freedom from stress

Patients with serious illness which has affected their organ may require strong medicines:

1. High doses of corticosteroids are particularly helpful if internal organs are involved.

2. NSAIDs such as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen can reduce inflammation and pain in the musculoskeletal system.

3. Anti-malarial medicine such as Hydroxychloroquine has been particularly effective for SLE patients with fatigue, skin, and joint disease.

4. Immunosuppressive medications are methotrexate, azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, cyclosporine.

5. Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDS) such as Rituximab and belimumab are effective against SLE.

6. End stage kidney damage from SLE requires dialysis or a kidney transplant

7. Plasmapheresis is used to remove antibodies from the blood to suppress immunity

TABLE OF CONTENT
Introduction
Chapter 1 Red Wolf Disease
(Systemic Lupus Erythematosus)
Chapter 2 Causes
Chapter 3 Symptoms
Chapter 4 Diagnosis
Chapter 5 Treatment
Chapter 6 Prognosis
Chapter 7 Dermatomyositis
Chapter 8 Rheumatoid Arthritis
Epilogue

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