Lupus

Lupus has been my latest inquiry. A small, probably, unnoticeable segment connected to the very last page of the “Modulation of cell recruitment by anti-inflammatory agents in antigen-induced arthritis,” article had a memorable picture regarding a lupus case. The real eye catcher wasn’t the enormous butterfly tattoo on the 33 year old woman’s back, but the “ginormous” blotchy red lesion above it. This woman was diagnosed with cutaneous lupus. The cutaneous lupus lesion overlying her butterfly tattoo is one of many symptoms of lupus.
Definition
Lupus is an autoimmune disease in which chronic inflammation affects different parts of the body including the skin, joints, heart, lungs, blood, kidneys and brain.
The Attack
The role of the body’s immune system, normally, is to make antibodies that protect against invading viruses, bacteria, and other foreign materials. In such cases of autoimmune disorders like lupus, the body’s immune system isn’t able to distinguish between foreign substances and its own cells and tissues. So what happens is the immune system produces antibodies which act against its self. As a result, these antibodies cause inflammation, pain and damage to different portions of the body.
*Inflammation is considered the primary feature of lupus*
Who does it affect?
More than 90% of people with lupus are women. It is more common in African Americans, Latinos, Asians, and Native Americans than in Caucasians.
To learn more about this and in a cool way check out this video:
http://video.about.com/lupus/What-Is-Lupus--.htm