Lupus Awareness Month observed

From Staff Reports

While most Americans are aware of the signs and health risks of breast cancer or heart disease, relatively few are aware of another significant health problem that disproportionately strikes young women between the ages of 15 and 45: lupus. Lupus is caused by an unbalanced immune system that can be destructive to any major organ or tissue in the body. It can be very unpredictable and is potentially fatal.

While more than 1.5 million Americans have lupus, many individuals still are unaware of its potentially disabling and life-threatening health effects. The disease is two to three times more common among African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, Asians, and Native Americans than among Caucasians -- but no one is safe from lupus.

May is National Lupus Awareness Month. Now in its 31st year, Lupus Awareness Month is observed to disseminate medically sound information about lupus, increase public understanding of the physical, emotional, and economic impact of the disease, and provide support, services and hope to all people affected by lupus.

Lupus is more than joint pain, fatigue, fevers and skin rashes -- common symptoms of the disease. Inflammation caused by lupus can damage the heart, lungs, kidneys and brain, resulting in significant disability or death. Women with lupus have a five- to 10-fold increased risk of coronary heart disease. Approximately 40 percent of people with lupus will develop nephritis, or kidney disease, and people with lupus are at high risk for blood clots, stroke and seizures.

Lupus is difficult to detect and diagnose because many initial symptoms of the disease often are dismissed as nothing serious. Because the disease develops most often in young adults, and disease activity comes and goes over time, it is not uncommon for people with lupus to suffer several years before doctors can make an accurate diagnosis. On average, people with lupus experience symptoms for four or more years and visit three or more doctors before they are able to obtain a correct diagnosis. Currently, there is no single laboratory test that can determine whether a person has lupus. Diagnosis is usually made by a careful review of a person's entire medical history, coupled with an analysis of the results obtained from routine laboratory tests and some specialized tests related to immune status.

For more information about lupus, visit the Lupus Foundation of America Web site at www.lupus.org.