Articles Index

When Children are Diagnosed with Lupus

Childhood lupus is not much different than lupus in adults. Many of the symptoms are the same, as well as the treatment. But there are differences, and knowing what they are and how to treat them will allow kids with lupus to live regular, happy lives.

Steroid-Induced Diabetes: Side Effect Treated like Standard Disease

Steroid-induced diabetes in lupus patients can be the result of long-term corticosteriods, which are often used as a treatment option for lupus patients, as they reduce inflammation and affect the immune system. Steriod-induced diabetes is a related condition to lupus.

What is Prednisone? All About the Steriod

Prednisone is one of the more effective medicinal treatments for people who suffer from lupus. Learn more about the drug, what it does, its side effects and how it is used.

Prasterone and Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)

Prasterone is a synthetic version of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), an endogenous hormone, which means it is a hormone produced by the human body. Evidence supports the claim that DHEA helps those with systemic lupus erythematosus since studies have shown that hormonal influence may play a role in the development and progression of SLE.

How Lupus Affects the Skin

How does lupus affect the skin? Skin conditions are a known part of what a person with lupus must regularly deal with. While lupus is known to affect the joints, kidneys, heart and lungs, more often than not, one of the clearest signs that a person has developed the disease is the way it affects the skin. These abnormal skin areas are referred to as skin – or cutaneous – disease.

Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine) Overview

Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine) is an anti-malarial drug that can be used to help lupus patients, primarily those with discoid or systemic lupus erythematosus. Doctors may prescribe it alone or in conjunction with other medications.

Related Conditions: Osteoporosis

Individuals with lupus are at an increased risk for osteoporosis for a number of reasons, and studies suggest an increase in bone loss and fracture in individuals with lupus. In fact, women with lupus may be five times more likely to experience a fracture from osteoporosis.

Diagnosing Lupus

Diagnosing lupus can be tricky, as symptoms of the disease can be mild or severe, come in a wide variety, and mimic those of other diseases. But there are telltale signs that a doctor can use when suspecting the disease, and more complex methodologies to determine if a patient has lupus.

Testing for Lupus

Testing for lupus, or more formally systemic lupus erythamatosus, is often done through a series of laboratory tests, or screening tests, that help a doctor begin to formulate an diagnosis.

Living with Lupus

Living with lupus for those who have been newly diagnosed can be difficult. They may find themselves shocked at first, relieved, then, knowing what they have, and finally confused as to what their next steps will be. Find out here.

Getting Treated for Lupus

Getting treated for lupus, once diagnosed, includes various treatment methods, all of which depend on the type of lupus and the symptoms that the patient presents. Since there is no cure for lupus, most treatments focus on the symptoms.

Lupus Signs and Symptoms, An Introduction

Lupus signs and symptoms can sometimes be overlooked because lupus is such a mysterious disease. Overlooked or misinterpreted signs and symptoms can be seen as a harbinger of a different disease, leading to mis-diagnosis. But when one of the most common symptoms is accompanied by a more suggestive sign or complication, lupus starts to become clear.

What is Lupus?

What is lupus (sometimes generically referred to as SLE, systemic lupus erythematosus)? It is an autoimmune disease, one that takes on several forms and can affect any part of the body, but is most commonly attacks the skin, joints, the heart, lungs, blood, kidneys and brain.

Lupus and Fibromyalgia: Similarities and Differences

Lupus is known as a disease that is misdiagnosed as some other disease. Interestingly enough, fibromyalgia, a disorder that causes muscle pain and fatigue, is often misdiagnosed as lupus, since both are rheumatic illnesses and share some similar symptoms. Also of note, lupus sufferers are more likely to contract fibromyalgia.

ANA-Negative Lupus: What Is It and Does It Exist?

What is ANA-negative lupus and does ANA-negative lupus exist? If you are someone who is wondering if you or someone you know may have lupus, you may have heard this term. Now find out what it is.

Lupus Flare Prevention Tips

No one can say for certain that there’s any way to prevent a lupus flare, but there are a number of “healthy habits” that can help patients reduce the potential for triggering a flare. We’ve taken those habits and gone one step further, by providing some suggestions on how to get into those habits and stay in those habits – thus possibly increasing your chances of staving off a flare.

Coping with Lupus? Join a Support Group - Or Start Your Own

If you are interested in joining a lupus support group, your first step might be to determine what is available in your area. You can do this a number of ways, including contacting your healthcare provider, contacting a local hospital and speaking with the patient advocate, or by using the Internet and other reference resources to determine what’s around.

Lupus and Pleurisy

Cardiopulmonary complications from SLE, those affecting the lungs specifically, are common in lupus patients. Often, lupus can trigger inflammation of the lining surrounding the lungs, the pleura, causing pain when breathing or coughing. This condition is called pleurisy or pleuritis. It is the most common pulmonary manifestation of lupus.

Lupus and the Nervous System

Because the nervous system needs continuous oxygen and nutrients to function properly, it is adversely affected by any restriction to the flow of blood to it. Thus, it is believed that lupus affects the nervous system by affecting that blood flow, by causing nerve tissue damage when antibodies attack nerve and blood cells and blood vessels. In this overview, we will focus mainly on the central nervous system and some of the ways lupus affects the system.

Lupus and Pancreatitis

Lupus is often manifests itself through several related conditions, often affecting major systems and organs in the body, including the pancreas. When the pancreas becomes inflamed, it is called pancreatitis.

Photosensitivity and Caring for Your Skin

People who are affected with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), or more commonly lupus, often discover that they are also highly photosensitive, or sensitive to sunlight. This sensitivity often results in skin rashes and other skin conditions caused by sunlight. If left unchecked, this condition could lead to skin cancer. Lupus patients are thus instructed to take care of their skin and stay out of the sun.

Related Conditions: An Introduction

Systemic lupus erythematosus, or simply lupus, is an autoimmune disease that can damage internal organs and often leads to a number of health complications. Often the patient notices the complications before they are diagnosed with lupus.

Lupus Myocarditis

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), an autoimmune disease, is truly a disease of symptoms. Its attacks on the body’s immune system can affect everything from the skin and joints to internal organs, like the kidneys. Often, lupus can trigger inflammation of the heart muscle, called myocarditis.

Lupus Diagnosis – Autoantibodies

One of the most common tests used by physicians to help diagnose lupus are blood tests to uncover autoantibodies like anti-DNA, anti-SM, and anti-RNP.

Lupus Diagnosis: Anti-Nuclear Antibody (ANA) Test

One of the most common tests used by physicians to help diagnose lupus is the anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) blood test.