Lupus

Question 1

Characteristics of lupus

Answer 1

Multi-organ autoimmune disease

Affects young women

Responds well to treatment

Question 2

Why is lupus characterised as a condition with wide clinical presentations?

Answer 2

Autoantibodies directed to self molecules all around the body

Question 3

What are the symptoms of Lupus?

Answer 3

General fatigue - fever, weight loss

Joint pains

Muscle pains

Rash - facial butterfly

Mouth ulcers

Vascular inflammation

Organ involvement

Question 4

What is a condition typical in lupus that leads to joint pains?

Answer 4

Symmetrical arthritis in small joints

Rarely causes destructive changes

Question 5

How common is the facial butterfly amongst lupus patients?

Answer 5

Affects 85% of patients

Question 6

What are examples of vascular inflammation triggered in lupus patients?

Answer 6

Raynaud’s - loss of circulation when exposed to cold

Vasculitis - more severe and permanent

Question 7

What are common organs involved in lupus?

Answer 7

Renal damage - glomerulonephritis

CNS problems - neuropathy, stroke, migraine, epilepsy

Lungs

Question 8

Does genetics play a big role in the susceptibility of the disease?

Answer 8

Yes

HLA class II genes are well established to be source of autoimmunity

Question 9

What is the progression of the disease?

Answer 9

Patient is healthy in early years

Environmental trigger initiates disease progression

Initially innate IS

Then adaptive IS

Onset of clinical disease is amplified as years progress

Irreversible tissue damage occurs

Question 10

What is lupus characterised by?

Answer 10

Persistent autoimmune process that is aberrantly controlled and results in autoimmune phenotype

Question 11

What are the triggers of lupus?

Answer 11

Viral infections

Hormonal changes - pregnancy, contraceptive

Sunlight

Question 12

Most types of treatments aimed at lupus are educational

TRUE or FALSE

Answer 12

TRUE

Question 13

Treatments for SLE

Answer 13

Sunblock/ infection/ fertility

Steroids

Antimalarial

Immunosuppressants

Biological agents

Protection of CVD risk

Question 14

Why do antimalarial drugs improve survival of lupus patients?

Answer 14

Improves long-term survival by impairing organ involvement

Question 15

What are the biological agents used to treat lupus?

Answer 15

Biological agents are used to target components of the immune system

Rituximab - antibody against CD20 on B cells

Question 16

How can you protect against CVD risk in lupus patients?

Answer 16

Avoid risk factors

Do blood tests

Question 17

What is the goal of lupus treatments?

Answer 17

Preserve life and organs of patients

Question 18

What is the problem with lupud treatments?

Answer 18

Since they only preserve organs instead of treating the uderlying cause of the damage there is sill risk of

Infection

Coronary artery disease

Fatigue