Kidneys. Lupus can cause serious kidney damage, and kidney failure is one of the leading causes of death among people with lupus. Brain and central nervous system. If your brain is affected by lupus, you may experience headaches, dizziness, behavior changes, vision problems, and even strokes or seizures.
SLE affects the hematologic system with a decrease in the levels of white cells, platelets, and red cells; life threatening thrombocytopenia and severe anemia although uncommon can be seen in patients with SLE. In the most severe forms of SLE, the kidney and the central nervous systems are affected (23).
It can affect your joints, tendons, kidneys, and skin. It can affect blood vessels. And it can affect organs such as the heart, lungs, and brain.
Lupus is an autoimmune disease link—a disorder in which the body's immune system attacks the body's own cells and organs. Kidney disease caused by lupus may get worse over time and lead to kidney failure. If your kidneys fail, you will need dialysis or a kidney transplant to maintain your health.
What is lupus? Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), often referred to as simply “lupus” is a chronic, systemic autoimmune disease that affects many organ systems – most commonly the skin, joints, and kidneys.
Kidneys. Lupus can cause serious kidney damage, and kidney failure is one of the leading causes of death among people with lupus. Brain and central nervous system. If your brain is affected by lupus, you may experience headaches, dizziness, behavior changes, vision problems, and even strokes or seizures.
Kidneys About one half of people with lupus experience kidney involvement, and the kidney has become the most extensively studied organ affected by lupus. Lungs About 50% of people with SLE will experience lung involvement during the course of their disease.
Cardiovascular disease, not lupus itself, is the number one cause of death in people with lupus. (It is actually the number one cause of death around the world.) The number two cause of death for people with lupus is infection.
As death from kidney disease has declined, heart attacks and related cardiovascular diseases have emerged as leading causes of early mortality in people with lupus. The reasons for accelerated heart disease have not been precisely delineated, but it is clear that multiple factors contribute.
Lupus may get worse very quickly. There is no way to tell when a flare will happen or how bad it will be. When you have a lupus flare, you may have new symptoms as well as symptoms you have had in the past. Learn your body's signs of a flare, such as joint pain, a rash, a fever, or being more tired.
Lupus causes inflammation throughout the body, which can cause problems in organs, including: Kidney damage that can lead to changes in kidney function, including kidney failure. This is called lupus nephritis. Seizures and memory problems due to changes in the brain and central nervous system.
Lupus nephritis is inflammation in the kidneys that can make them stop working. When the kidneys aren't working well, waste builds up in the blood and extra water builds up in the body. Lupus nephritis is most common in people ages 20 to 40. It usually starts within 5 years of your first lupus symptoms.
Muscle and joint pain.
This affects most people with lupus. Common areas for muscle pain and swelling include the neck, thighs, shoulders, and upper arms.
SLE is the most common and most serious type of lupus. Other types of lupus include the following: Cutaneous lupus (skin lupus) is lupus that affects the skin in the form of a rash or lesions. This type of lupus can occur on any part of the body, but usually appears where the skin is exposed to sunlight.
Lupus and the intestines
Lupus can rarely cause vasculitis (inflammation of the blood vessels) in the intestines, sometimes called lupus enteritis. Symptoms include: Abdominal pain (pain in the belly area) Feeling very full or bloated.
With close follow-up and treatment, 80-90% of people with lupus can expect to live a normal life span. It is true that medical science has not yet developed a method for curing lupus, and some people do die from the disease. However, for the majority of people living with the disease today, it will not be fatal.
You should also be aware of symptoms that require that you see a doctor immediately. These include: Severe abdominal pain. Chest pain or shortness of breath.
Class 3, or focal lupus nephritis
This classification will involve damage to less than 50% of the glomeruli in the kidneys. A person's urine will contain higher amounts of blood, protein, or both. They may also have high blood pressure.
Systemic lupus erythematosus (“lupus” or “SLE”) and other autoimmune diseases are linked to an increased risk of certain types of cancer. Specifically, lupus patients may experience an elevated risk of lymphoma and other cancers, such as cancer of the cervix.
With age, symptom activity with lupus often declines, but symptoms you already have may grow more severe. The accumulation of damage over years may result in the need for joint replacements or other treatments.
People with lupus can have cognitive symptoms, like having a hard time thinking clearly or remembering things. This is also called “brain fog” or “lupus fog,” and it often comes and goes over time. In some people, lupus fog can be present for many years.
Lupus can slow the digestive process, and this can cause a wide variety of GI issues. Digestive problems may be the direct result of an attack by the immune system or from medications to treat lupus. These digestive difficulties include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation.