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Lupus, the importance of treating it in a timely manner

Lupus, the importance of treating it in a timely manner

Edited by: TOP DOCTORS® at 10/10/2023

Lupus can manifest itself in different forms, in its mildest form can be hair loss and rashes on the body, in moderate form can cause pleurisy or pericarditis and in its most severe form can exist lupus nephritis.

Dr.. Iris Jasmine Pedraza Colunga

Systemic lupus erythematosus, also known as lupus, is an autoimmune disease what does this mean? the immune system itself or defense system begins to attack the body in different organs and systems, and finally this will trigger certain clinical manifestations.

Clinical manifestations of lupus are very diverse, talk about lupus is very difficult to engulf and to say because each person has different symptoms of the same disease, can range from hair loss, spots on the skin that turn red with the sun to the most severe forms that are already problems in the kidney and demonstrations at the level of nervous system seizure.

Each person has different manifestations.

Various symptoms of lupus

The clinical manifestations of lupus are varied, in its mildest form ranging from hair loss, malar rash, rash in butterfly wings, photosensitivity (presence of alterations in the skin with sunlight), ulceritas in the mouth and arthritis.

In the moderate form it is present that the layer covering the lungs, called the pleura, and the lining of the heart, called the pericardium, swell, fill with fluid and gives something known as pleurisy or pericarditis. There are also manifestations of blood level, as certain varieties anemia specific or low platelet, and that are considered moderate forms of lupus.

Severe forms or severe forms of this disease when there are abnormalities in the kidney, which is known as lupus nephritis, or when there are demonstrations at the central nervous system, ie the brain, seizures and psychosis also may come to present this person.

Variable treatment depending on the form of lupus

Treatment will be mainly focused on the form of lupus, whether it is the mild form, which is usually cutaneous and articular treatment consists of low-dose steroids (less than 15 milligrams per day) and other medicines, one could be the Plaquenil, which is the cornerstone of treatment for systemic lupus erythematosus or methotrexate, which can also be used in the joint forms. And for severe forms of lupus, when they affect major organs, different treatments, ie, immunosuppressive therapy, biological therapy and higher doses of corticosteroids (about 1 milligram per kilogram) are used depending on the symptom.

Complications not treat lupus

If lupus erythematosus untreated can trigger important clinical manifestations, even end in death, so the treatment is very important and at each stage should be determined which will occupy the patient.

Depending on the manifestations of the disease lupus mild beginning can turn to one of the severe forms when appropriate treatment is received or when the effects are not monitored; hence the importance of treatment and monitor manifestations that it can cause.

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