Argumentative Essay on Lupus

In most cases, lupus often affects the kidneys, lungs, heart, skin, the brain, and the body cells. Lupus, also called systemic lupus erythematosus is classified under the group of disorders affecting human beings, known as autoimmune diseases which its effect on the body is in a similar fashion (Yasutomo et al. This condition presents itself in a variety of manifestations. In lupus, damage to tissues occurs in , multiple organs because other autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, central nervous system disease, and fibromyalgia can also appear with the involvement of the diseases in multiple body systems. Although lupus always occur alone, patients experiencing lupus often experience othe diseases which accompany it. Even though SLE patients have uniform presentation of a positive antinuclear antibody (ANA) test, additional common conditions similarly show positive ANA as well.

Moreover, it has been found that the overlapping diseases most often develop after the initial diagnosis of lupus. However there has been no set time limit on when the subsequent overlapping autoimmune develops, although the likelihood of it occurring just after the first diagnosis is high. Although, there is also some probability that the second autoimmune disease may develop a decade after the first diagnosis. Pathophysiology Lupus patients have a multifaceted collection of anomalies which affect their immune system. The highly targeted antigens by these antibodies include the ribosomal RNP, ribonucleic protein (RNP), SSB, SSA, U1, Smith, histone denatured DNA and native DNA (Lipsky 766). What appears to be unique to SLE is the Smith and double-stranded DNA, therefore they can be important for the diagnosis of lupus.

Constitutional Any of the major body organ systems can be affected by SLE, as the name SLE implies, the symptoms can either be constitutional or systemic. The symptom of SLE can be fashioned to look like the symptoms of other autoimmune diseases, fibromyalgia, prolonged fatigue, and abnormalities related to the endocrine system. Since there are no specific symptoms, it is necessary to use the displayed symptoms together with others which are organ-specific to distinguish between lupus and other diseases. However, it is not a confirmation someone has lupus when ANA test is positive. Treatment of lupus Since lupus has no cure, the best way to treat lupus is through early diagnosis and treatment in order to keep it under control. Since lupus manifests itself differently in different people, treatments are specifically tailored to suit the patient- treating several people is just like developing cures for different diseases even though it is a single disease.

Generally, there are no specific treatments and therefore doctors give prescriptions to minimize organ damages, alleviate symptoms and prevent flare-ups. Anti-inflammatory medicines such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Motrin and Advil), aspirin and naproxen sodium (Aleve) are some of the recommended medicines used to ease the pain and fever. In conclusion, lupus has no specific cure due to its wide range of symptoms which mimic the symptoms of other diseases. Biomedical scientists and researchers have been grappling with the several questions including whether lupus should be treated as a single disease or multiple diseases contained in a single disease. It is unfortunate that until then, the only available treatments are medicines used to ease the pain, wipe away the rushes, control inflammations and stabilize the immune systems which can help the patients decrease the damages and sufferings which may lead to further complications.

How one gets lupus is not entirely clear, but there is evidence which shows that genes, hormones, and environmental factors could be involved in determining individual’s vulnerability to lupus. Finally, lupus is such a complex disease which makes it hard to determine which medications are best suited to which patient since treating several patients is like treating different diseases. Mutation of DNASE1 in people with systemic lupus erythematosus. Nature Genetics 28.