The Lupus Book: A Guide for Patients and Their Families

by Daniel J Wallace

Overview

Lupus, a disease of the immune system, can be quite deadly, claiming the lives of thousands of patients yearly. Dr. Daniel J. Wallace is one of the world's leading authorities on this disorder, an eminent clinician who has treated over 2000 lupus patients, the largest such practice in America. His The Lupus Book, originally published in 1995, immediately established itself as the most readable and helpful book on the disease. Now Dr. Wallace has once again completely revised The Lupus Book, incorporating a wealth of new information. This Fourth Edition discusses the newest clinical trials and emerging therapies--all laid out in user-friendly language that any patient could understand. Readers will also discover fully updated sections on the science of lupus and breakthroughs in research. And as in past editions, the book provides absolutely lucid answers to such questions as: What causes lupus? How and where is the body affected? Can a woman with lupus have a baby? And how can one manage this disease? Indeed, Dr. Wallace has distilled his extensive experience, providing the most up-to-date information on causes, prevention, cure, exercise, diet, and many other important topics. There is also a glossary of terms and an appendix of lupus resource materials compiled by the Lupus Foundation of America. Over a million Americans have lupus. The Fourth Edition of The Lupus Book offers these patients and their families a wealth of reliable, up-to-date information that will help them manage the disease and live a happier life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780199740840
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	12/02/2008
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	4 MB

About the Author

Daniel J. Wallace, M.D. is a Clinical Professor of Medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA based at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. His many books include All About Fibromyalgia and All About Osteoarthritis (with Nancy Lane).

Table of Contents

	Foreword	vii
	Preface to the Revised and Expanded Edition	ix
	Preface to the First Edition	xi
Part I	Introduction and Definitions
1.	Why Write a Book on Lupus?	3
2.	What Is Lupus?	5
3.	The History of Lupus	9
4.	Who Gets Lupus?	11
Part II	Inflammation and Immunity
5.	The Body's Protection Plan	17
6.	The Enemy Is Our Cells	25
Part III	What Causes Lupus?
7.	The Genetic Connection	37
8.	Environmental Villains	41
9.	Drugs That May Cause Lupus or Produce Flareups	46
Part IV	Where and How Can the Body Be Affected by Lupus?
10.	History, Symptoms, and Signs	55
11.	Must We Draw Blood?	61
12.	Reactions of the Skin: Rashes and Discoid Lupus	65
13.	Why the Aches? Arthritis, Muscles, and Bone	74
14.	Pants and Pulses: The Lungs and Heart	81
15.	Heady Connections: The Nervous System and Behavioral Changes	99
16.	The Head, Neck, and Sjogren's Syndrome	116
17.	What about Hormones?	122
18.	The Impact of Lupus upon the GI Tract and Liver	128
19.	Lupus in the Kidney and Urinary Tract	139
20.	The Blood and Lymphatic Systems	147
21.	Why Do Blood Clots Develop?	154
22.	Lupus Through the Ages: Lupus in Children and the Elderly	160
23.	Is It Really Lupus?	165
Part V	The Management of Lupus Erythematosus
24.	How to Treat Lupus with Physical Measures	177
25.	You Can Help Conquer Lupus	188
26.	Taming Inflammation: Anti-inflammatory Therapies	200
27.	Big Guns and Magic Bullets: Disease-Modifying Drugs	207
28.	Other Options: Treatments Occasionally Used to Manage Lupus	222
29.	Fighting Infections, Allergies, and Osteoporosis	229
30.	Can a Woman with Lupus Have a Baby?	236
31.	What's the Prognosis?	245
32.	Lupus in 2015: A Medical Odyssey	249
	Glossary	253
Appendix	Lupus Resource Materials	259
	Index	263

Editorial Reviews

Continuing with his quest for physical and emotional health, Deepak Chopra (Ageless Body, Timeless Mind) zeroes in on common intestinal disorders in Perfect Digestion: The Key to Balanced Living, due in October from Harmony. Digestion plays a central role in our lives, says Chopra, turning to Ayurveda, the traditional Indian science of health, for greater understanding of the mind-body connection. Explaining how the gastrointestinal tract works when it's healthy, he offers suggestions for restoring it to health when ideal functioning is lost through imbalance or disease. Literary Guild and Doubleday Book Club alternate selections. ($15 128p ISBN 0-517-79975-8) An autoimmune disorder that often defies diagnosis and to date has defied a cure is closely considered in Dr. Daniel J. Wallace's The Lupus Book, an October title from Oxford University Press. Describing the mechanism of the disease and putting therapies into perspective, Wallace, an L.A.-based specialist in lupus, blends clinical information with practical advice. ($25 256p ISBN 0-19-508443-8) In The Race Is Run One Step at a Time: Every Woman's Guide to Taking Charge of Breast Cancer, a September title from the Summit Group, Nancy Brinker addresses the reader in personal terms. Having lost her sister to breast cancer and waged her own successful battle with the disease, she describes the devastating course of her sister's disease and discusses the importance of early detection, care and preventative measures. This revision is updated from a 1990 edition to incorporate information about the latest technologies and statistics. ($13.95 paper, 224p ISBN 1-56530-182-X)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Nearly one million people in the United States suffer from lupus erythematosus, which develops when the body becomes allergic to itself. Because of the difficulty of diagnosing lupus, several years may elapse before an accurate diagnosis is made, resulting in mental anguish and damage to vital organs. By increasing public awareness of this disease, Wallace, a world authority on lupus, hopes to effect earlier diagnosis. In a lay companion to the renowned Dubois' Lupus Erythematosus (Williams & Wilkins, 1992. 4th ed.), which he coauthored, Wallace thoroughly explains the body's immunological processes and the causes, diagnosis, management, manifestations, prognosis, and genetic risks of lupus. Containing detailed illustrations and charts similar to those found in medical texts, The Lupus Book is written for allied health professionals as well as patients at the college reading level. Several other current books offer simpler explanations and more easily understood charts while placing a greater emphasis on coping skills; Mark Horowitz's Coping with Lupus (Penguin, 1994) and Sheldon Blau's Living with Lupus (LJ 11/1/93) are among the best. Wallace's book is recommended for those who require a detailed explanation of the disease.-Mary Prottsman, Medical Lib., Enterprise, Ala.

Library Journal

Reviewer: Jill Gibson, MD (Washington University Medical Center)
Description: This is a very detailed account of all aspects of lupus for patients and their families. The previous edition was published in 2005.
Purpose: The author meets his worthy objective of providing an excellent resource for patients.
Audience: The book is written for patients and their families by a superb and experienced practitioner.
Features: Many topics are covered, including background information on lupus, genetics, and a detailed list of what effects lupus can have on the body. All aspects of the disease appear to be discusses to some degree. The breakdown of the chapters and the summary at the end makes the material easy to read. The appendix of tips for patients who want to find additional resources is very helpful.
Assessment: This is an excellent reference for lupus patients and their families. It is useful to have to answer specific questions as well as to provide background information. This is the most in-depth review that I have seen that is easily readable for patients and their families.

Doody's Review Service

"The brand-new edition of this popular title by internationally recognized lupus expert Dan Wallace has all the necessary information for patients and their families....The Lupus Book is highly regarded for the author's ability to explain a complicated disease in easy-to-understand terms that offer a concise, practical overview of lupus."—LUPUS NOW

"This is an excellent reference for lupus patients and their families. It is useful to have to answer specific questions as well as to provide background information. This is the most in-depth review that I have seen that is easily readable for patients and their families."—Jill Gibson, MD, Washington University Medical Center, as reviewed in Doody's

From the Publisher