Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

A butterfly-shaped rash on the face may be the first visible sign of lupus. While causes of this autoimmune disease are not clear, treatments do exist. According to research or other evidence, the following self-care steps may be helpful.

• Get more omega-3s

  Reduce lupus-related inflammation by frequently eating foods rich in omega-3s, such as flaxseed and fatty fish; take up to 20 grams a day of fish oil under a doctor’s supervision

• Discover DHEA

  Under a physician’s supervision, take up to 200 mg a day of the hormone dehydroepiandrosterone to improve symptoms

• Uncover food sensitivities

  Work with a knowledgeable health professional to find out if certain foods aggravate your condition

About This Condition

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune illness that causes a characteristic butterfly-shaped rash on the face accompanied by inflammation of connective tissue, particularly joints, throughout the body. In autoimmune diseases, the immune system attacks the body instead of protecting it. Kidney, lung, and vascular damage are potential problems resulting from SLE.

The cause of SLE is unknown, though 90% of cases occur in women of childbearing age. Several drugs, such as procainamide, hydralazine, methyldopa, and chlorpromazine, may create SLE-like symptoms. Environmental pollution and industrial emissions were associated with an increased risk of SLE in one study. In one reported case, zinc supplementation appears to have aggravated drug-induced SLE. Ultraviolet radiation from sun exposure is a commonly recognized trigger of the skin manifestations of lupus. Some environmental chemicals such as hydrazine and food dyes such as tartrazine may be environmental triggers of SLE in susceptible people.

Risk factors include a family history of SLE, other collagen diseases or asthma, menstrual irregularity, beginning menstruation at age 15 or later, exposure to toxic chemicals, and low blood levels of antioxidant nutrients, such as vitamin A and vitamin E, orbeta-carotene. Free radicals are thought to promote SLE.

Discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) is a milder form of lupus that affects the skin. Like SLE, it’s not known what causes DLE, though sun exposure may trigger the first outbreak. DLE is most common among women in their thirties.

Symptoms

Symptoms include decreased energy, weakness, fever, nausea, diarrhea, muscle and joint pain, chest pain, bruising, loss of appetite, weight loss, and a red, butterfly-shaped rash across the nose and cheeks. In addition, people with SLE may have symptoms of mouth sores, joint swelling, hair loss, changes in personality, seizures, and a coin-shaped, red skin rash elsewhere on the body that is aggravated by sunlight. Kidney, lung, and blood-vessel damage are potentially life-threatening manifestations of SLE.

Healthy Lifestyle Tips

In preliminary research, smoking has been linked to significantly increased risk of developing SLE, while drinking alcohol has been associated with a decrease in risk.¹² The importance of these associations remains unclear, though an increased risk for many other diseases has been definitively linked to excessive consumption of alcohol.

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