In some people, a functioning immune system protects the body from germs in chaos. Antibodies that should protect it attacks the body's own organs. The disorder is known as autoimmune disease. One of them, lupus.
Lupus is a condition in which the immune system can not recognize where your friends where your opponent so that damage the body itself, "said Zubairi Djoerban, Professor of Hematology and Oncology Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia-Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital in Jakarta. Because the antibodies in the blood, lupus can damage the body part that gets the blood supply from the skin to the vital organs, such as heart, lung, kidney, brain, and even his own blood.
Lupus is difficult to detect because it has no specific symptoms. Symptoms that appear depend on the body are attacked. Therefore, lupus patients come to doctors with complaints differently.
For example, a female lupus patients come to the doctor with stomach fat, swollen eyes and limp body. Another patient experienced prolonged fever and hair loss. Some were suffering from severe headaches, pain in the joints, and recurrent miscarriages. Since emerging with a variety of symptoms, lupus is often called "disease thousand faces".
"Enforcing the diagnosis of lupus is the biggest challenge for physicians," said Zubairi.
Doctors can be fooled if not carefully observe the patient. Patients presenting with prolonged fever and hair loss, for example, can be diagnosed with typhoid or other illness, while lupus is not detected.
Attacks antibodies cause inflammation in the affected organ. Judging from the extent of the impact of inflammation, lupus can be divided into Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and discoid Lupus Erythematosus (DLE).
SLE causes complications because of the damage occurred in many places. When severe complications, can cause death. Since 2010, cases of lupus renal cause of death than any other cases of lupus.
The DLE is lupus that is local, only in one place. DLE usually affects the skin, especially in the face to form distinctive patterns such as butterflies. Skin rash of red and rough. Because of this pattern, many lupus sufferers in the world of movement using a butterfly symbol.
Lupus can be experienced by anyone. However, lupus is more experienced women, especially the productive ages, 15-45 years. As many as 90 percent of people with lupus are women.
According to Dian Syarief, patients with active lupus lupus socialize through his foundation, Syamsi Dhuha Foundation, experts estimate that estrogen could trigger lupus. Other factors that can trigger lupus is ultraviolet light, drugs, especially sulfa, and heredity. Lupus be recurrent. Usually attack the body when fatigue and stress.
Treatable
Although dangerous, if detected early, lupus can be controlled with medication. According Zubairi, only about 5-10 percent of patients who died of lupus is not detected properly.
In Indonesia, according to Zubairi, number approximately 10,400 people with lupus. However, the figure is like tip of the iceberg, only the visible part of it. The number of people with lupus can be much more real. It is estimated that more than 1.5 million lupus patients in Indonesia.
The estimates were based on the number of lupus patients in the United States that reaches 1.5 million people from 300 million Americans. Indonesia's population, almost the same, namely 240 million. According to many studies, the incidence of lupus in Asia two times higher than in America and Europe.
The drugs are proven to be beneficial to reduce symptoms of lupus is a class of corticosteroids and antimalarial drugs. According to the findings of 34 research centers in nine countries, antimalarial drugs shown to reduce organ damage and death. Lupus drug works by suppressing the immune system.
"Most people with lupus can be treated and can work normally," said Zubairi.
Unfortunately, according to Dian, many sufferers do not know about lupus so carelessly taking the medicine.
Patients with lupus can still be productive, though often experience extreme fatigue. The condition can be restored with a total rest a few days.
Outdoor activities are allowed, but patients should avoid sun exposure so no recurrence of lupus.
Sports are doctor recommended for patients with mild lupus in maintaining fitness is swimming and gymnastics tai chi. These exercises do not overload the joints because it is usually a lot of people with lupus experience joint inflammation.
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