Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Disease that can affect almost any organ

Te immune system is designed to ‘protect the body from harmful invaders such as viruses and bacteria and to remove abnormal or damaged cells.

- By ZANITA CAREEM

Dr. Aruna Caldera shares expert insights

However, in some individuals the immune system malfunctions and mistakenly attacks the body’s own tissues. Diseases caused by this type of immune response are known as autoimmune diseases.Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is one such autoimmune disease and can be potentially devastating if not diagnosed and treated early. SLE most commonly affects women between the ages of 15 and 45, and nearly 90% of patients are female.

What is Systemic Lupus Erythematosus?

SLE is a multi-system autoimmune disease, meaning it can affect multiple organs in the body simultaneously. The main underlying process in lupus is inflammation caused by the immune system attacking the body’s own tissues.

The exact biological mechanisms behind SLE are complex, similar to many other rheumatological diseases. Because the disease can affect multiple organs and vary greatly from person to person, managing SLE requires extensive knowledge of its behaviour. Many patients are cared for by specialists such as rheumatologists, nephrologists, and dermatologists.

An important feature of SLE is its tendency to flare when treatment is stopped or altered without medical advice, making long-term adherence to therapy essential.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) commonly known as Lupus, s a complex auto immune disease that affects million of people worldwide, particularly women. Characterised by the immune disease that affects millions of people worldwide, particularly women. Characterised by the immune system mistakenly attacking the body's own tissue, lupus can impact the skin, joints, kidneys and other vital organs. To better understand this often misunderstood condition, we spoke with Dr. Aruna Caldera who shares insights into the causes, symptoms, treatment and the importance of awareness surrounding systemic lupus erythematosus.

(Q) What Causes SLE?