Autoimmune
Diseases:
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) |
| This page was written
by Shelley Ensz, and has
not yet been medically edited. See Disclaimer. |
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| Symptoms
of Lupus and Complications |
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| Overview of Lupus
Symptoms |
| What
are the symptoms of lupus? MedicineNet |
| Test
Yourself for Lupus Lupus Foundation of America |
| Antiphospholipid Syndrome |
| Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in a Multiethnic US Cohort: Relationship Between Vascular Events and the Use of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) in Postmenopausal Women. HRT use in women with SLE should be individualized, but our data suggest its use may be safe if antiphospholipid antibodies are not present or vascular arterial events have not previously occurred. Journal of Clinical Rheumatology. Oct 2007.13:5. |
| Features
Associated with Epilepsy in the Antiphospholipid Syndrome. Epilepsy
is common in APS and most of the risk seems to be linked
to vascular disease as manifested by extensive CNS involvement,
valvulopathy, and livedo reticularis and to the presence
of SLE. These factors, however, explain only part
of the increased occurrence of epilepsy in APS and other
causes such as direct immune interaction in the brain should
be investigated. J Rheumatol. VOLUME 31: NO. 7 JULY 2004;31:1344-8.
(Also see: Antiphospholipid
Syndrome) |
| Atherosclerosis |
| Progressive atherosclerosis complicates SLE. Atherosclerosis commonly occurs and progresses in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), according to a report in the October Arthritis & Rheumatism. Reuters Health Information. 11/30/07. (Also see: Cardiac Involvement) |
| Lupus:
Atherosclerosis Risk Factor Be vigilant about atherosclerosis
in lupus patients. Two case-control studies have confirmed
a previously suggested link between systemic lupus erythematosus
and atherosclerosis. Published in Journal Watch Cardiology
March 5, 2004. Journal Watch. |
| Brain |
| Peripheral
nervous system lesion syndromes and the mechanisms of their formation
in connective tissue diseases. Systemic rheumatological diseases
are often accompanied by the development of central and peripheral
nervous system pathology. Lupus erythematosus and systemic scleroderma
in particular are characterized by polyneuropathies and tunnel
syndromes. PubMed. Neurosci Behav Physiol. 2007 Jan;37(1):1-6.
(Also see: Brain Involvement) |
| Brain
abscesses caused by Abiotrophia defectiva: complication of
immunosuppressive therapy in a patient with connective-tissue
disease. We report the case of a patient who developed
brain abscesses caused by Abiotrophia defectiva. The patient
was treated with prednisone and cyclophosphamide for connective-tissue
disease (Lupus-Sjogren's overlap syndrome). PubMed. Scand
J Infect Dis. 2004;36(6-7):497-9. (Also see: Medications, Sjogren's
Syndrome, Overlap
Syndrome, and Brain
Involvement) |
| Calcinosis |
| Calcinosis
cutis universalis in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus. Deposition
of calcium salts in the skin and subcutaneous tissue occurs
in a variety of rheumatic diseases, being most commonly associated
with scleroderma, CREST (calcinosis, Raynaud's phenomenon,
esophageal dysfunction, sclerodactyly, and telangiectasia),
dermatomyositis, and overlap syndromes but is a rare complication
of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). PubMed. Clin Rheumatol.
2005 May 18. (Also see: Calcinosis) |
| Cognitive and Affective
Deficits |
| Hippocampal
damage in mouse and human forms of systemic autoimmune disease. Taken
together, these results suggest that systemic autoimmunity
induces significant hippocampal damage, which may underlie
affective and cognitive deficits in NP-SLE. PubMed. Hippocampus.
2004;14(5):649-61. (Also see: Brain
Involvement) |
| Fatigue in Lupus |
| Patient´s Descriptions of SLE-Related Fatigue. Given the opportunity to express the consequences of fatigue with their own words, patients report a multidimensional array of complex physical and psychosocial aspects on this burdensome symptom. Susanne Pettersson. 1257/489. ACR 2007. (Also see: Fatigue) |
| Update
on the immunology, diagnosis and management of systemic lupus
erythematosus. Lupus occurs with a prevalence of 2-9
in 10 000 people, targeting female and indigenous populations
in particular. Evanescent, vague symptoms, restrictive diagnostic
criteria and low diagnostic suspicion might have resulted
in the under-diagnosis of these problems in the past, imposing
considerable burdens on sufferers and the community. PubMed.
Intern Med J. 2004 Jun;34(6):338-47. |
| Fibromyalgia and Lupus |
| Number
of Fibromyalgia Tender Points Is Associated with Health Status
in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. A strong
association between the number of FM TP and health status
was found in patients with SLE. The number of TP, and not
just the presence/absence of FM, is associated with health
status in SLE. J Rheumatol. NO. 1 January 2005;32:48-50.
(Also see: Fibromyalgia) |
| Gastrointestinal |
| Gastrointestinal
manifestations. Collagen vascular diseases are known
to present with a diverse array of gastrointestinal manifestations.
These can be classified as: 1) gastrointestinal damage due
to the collagen vascular disease itself; 2) adverse events
caused by pharmacotherapies; or 3) gastrointestinal infections
following immunosuppression due to corticosteroid (CS) administration. PubMed.
Nihon Rinsho Meneki Gakkai Kaishi. 2004 Jun;27(3):145-55.
(Also see: Scleroderma
Gastrointestinal Involvement) |
| Eosinophilic
Gastroenteritis Associated With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Previous
studies have described eosinophilic gastroenteritis in patients
with scleroderma, polymyositis, or dermatomyositis. This
is the first report to our knowledge of an individual with
eosinophilic gastroenteritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. PubMed.
J Clin Gastroenterol. 2004 Nov;38(10):883-886. |
| Heart Disease |
| Coronary Calcium in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) Is Associated with Traditional Cardiovascular Risk Factors, But Not with Disease Activity. Age, body mass index, and diabetes mellitus are more important associates of coronary calcium in SLE than inflammatory markers and SLE clinical activity. J Rheumatol First Release May 15 2008. |
| Comparison of Survival Among Patients With Connective Tissue Disease and Cardiomyopathy (Systemic Sclerosis, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, and Undifferentiated Disease-UCTD). The diagnosis of cardiomyopathy and either undifferentiated CTD or systemic sclerosis appears to be a poor prognostic indicator compared with the diagnosis of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and cardiomyopathy have a similar prognosis to those with idiopathic DCM. Finally, the presence of myocarditis does not alter the survival of patients with CTD and cardiomyopathy. (Sciene Direct) The American Journal of Cardiology Volume 100, Issue 3, 1 August 2007, Pages 513-517. (Also see: UCTD, and Cardiac Involvement) |
| The
diastolic function of the left ventricle in patients with
systemic lupus erythematosus and systemic scleroderma. All
the patients with rheumatic diseases, with or without arterial
hypertension (AH), had diastolic dysfunction, which was manifested
by increase of atrial systolic contribution into LV filling,
prolongation of blood flow slowdown time in the stage of
its early filling, and prolongation of LV isometric relaxation
time; heart diastolic disorder was accompanied by significant
increase of end diastolic pressure in LV cavity. PubMed.
Klin Med (Mosk). 2005;83(7):45-7. (Also see: Cardiac
Involvement) |
| Kidney Involvement |
| Renal
manifestations of systemic autoimmune disease : diagnosis
and therapy. Renal involvement is relatively common in
certain systemic autoimmune diseases, but can be clinically
silent. Scleroderma renal crises are managed by blood pressure
control using angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and
other agents as required. PubMed. Nephrol Ther. 2006 Jul;2(3):140-151.
(Also see: Renal
Involvement and Vasculitis) |
| Liver Disease, Autoimmune |
| A comparison of autoimmune liver disease in juvenile and adult populations with systemic lupus erythematosus—a retrospective review of cases. Our study confirms that autoimmune liver disease occurs infrequently in adult lupus patients but should be considered in a patient with persistent liver enzyme abnormalities. However, in our study there is a significantly higher prevalence in juvenile lupus patients. Rheumatology. Volume 46, Number 7 Pp. 1171-1173. (Also see: Autoimmune Hepatitis) |
| Microstomia (Small
Mouth) |
| Microstomia (small mouth) is most
often caused by systemic
scleroderma. However, it has occasionally been associated
with systemic lupus (SLE) or rheumatoid
arthritis (RA), or Sjogren's. |
| Microstomia
does not necessarily mean scleroderma. Two patients with
microstomia in the absence of any features of progressive
systemic sclerosis are documented. The first patient had
systemic lupus erythematosus and the second rheumatoid arthritis/Sjogren's
syndrome with a complicating myositis. S Afr Med J. 1996
Aug;86(8):970-1. |
| Oral
rehabilitation of a patient with scleroderma associated with
systematic lupus erythematosus (SLE): a case report. A
new approach was required for this patient with SLE who had
a very limited mouth opening. The retention for the removable
partial denture (RPD) used the undercut in the abutment teeth
and a magnet-retained sectional RPD. PubMed. Spec
Care Dentist. 2006 May-Jun;26(3):121-3. (Also see: Dental
Involvement) |
| Miscarriages |
| Miscarriages
May Be A Symptom Of Greater Health Risk. Autoimmune Diseases,
such as lupus or thyroid conditions, are associated with
RPL (Recurrent Pregnancy Loss) and infertility. If you have
a history of autoimmune disease and unexplained RPL, ask
about these potentially appropriate tests: ACA/APA, LAC (Lupus
Anti-coagulant). ElitesTV. 07/19/05. (Also see: Antiphospholipid
Syndrome and Thyroid
Disease) |
| Persistent Lupus Myelitis |
| Mycophenolate Mofetil and Intravenous Dexamethasone in the Treatment of Persistent Lupus Myelitis. Subsequent therapy with mycophenolate mofetil and continuous intravenous infusions of dexamethasone resulted in reduction of the lesion's size, disappearance of magnetic resonance imaging enhancement, and a complete recovery. J Rheumatol 2007;34:588-91 (Also see: Rheumatic Treatments) |
| Pulmonary Hypertension |
| Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) is correlated with elevated systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (PASP) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In patients with SLE, the presence of RP was associated with elevation in PASP. Further investigation is needed to clarify the significance of this relation. Lupus (2007) 16, 505—508. (Also see: Raynaud's) |
| Immunosuppressive
Therapy in Connective Tissue Diseases-Associated (CTD) Pulmonary
Arterial Hypertension (PAH). PAH associated with SLE
(Lupus) or Mixed CTD might respond to a treatment combining
glucocorticosteroids and cyclophosphamide. Chest. 2006;130:182-189.
(Also see: MCTD and Pulmonary
Hypertension) |
| Pulmonary
hypertension in autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Pulmonary
hypertension assessment seems mandatory, at least in MCTD
and systemic sclerosis (SSc). However, more studies are needed
to clarify the relationship between age and pulmonary hypertension
and to verify whether the low prevalence of pulmonary hypertension
we found in our SLE patients is related or not to their lower
age. PubMed. Reumatismo. 2005 Apr-Jun;57(2):114-8. (Also
see: Pulmonary
Hypertension, MCTD,
and Lupus) |
