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Lupus, a chronic and complex disease that affects five million people in the world

May 10 from 2022 - 10: 04

May 10 is World Lupus Day to raise awareness of the existence of this disease, which, according to data from the Lupus Foundation of America, affects at least five million people in the world.

El Dr David Vanyo, internal medicine specialist hospital San Carlos Office of the HLA group, explains that “lupus disease is a complex and chronic autoimmune pathology. In this disease the immune system attacks your own tissues and organs and can affect the joints, skin, brain, lungs, kidneys and blood vessels.

The most common type of lupus is called systemic lupus erythematosus, which affects different parts of the body. There are other kinds of lupus types, such as drug-induced or discoid lupus, but they are not as common. Lupus disease is more common in women than in men.

Image: Facade of the new HLA San Carlos facilities

The most common symptoms of systemic lupus erythematosus are fatigue, joint pain and swelling, skin rashes, and fever. “There is no definitive diagnostic test for lupus, it could even take months or years to have a real certainty of the disease. The doctor will perform a complete medical examination, which includes an extensive blood test. Skin or kidney tissue samples can also be taken through biopsies,” says Dr. Vanyo.

The disease requires follow-up by different specialists. Rheumatology treats inflammation of the joints, nephrology for the kidneys, hematology for blood disorders, and dermatology for the skin manifestations of lupus. In addition, the disease can affect the nervous system and the heart, so it may require follow-up by a neurologist and a cardiologist, as well as cause hormonal changes that will require follow-up in endocrinology.

The goals of a treatment plan are to “prevent or treat disease flares, prevent or reduce damage to organs and joints, reduce inflammation and pain, support the immune system, and balance abnormalities.
hormonal”. The Internal Medicine Service is usually the department in charge of managing the patient with lupus and coordinating the different treatments.

In recent years there have been important advances in research against lupus, so that this disease can now be controlled more effectively.

Contact Hospital San Carlos Grupo HLA

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