Unknown to many, lupus is taking a heavy toll of lives with more and more cases being diagnosed every passing day, according to experts.
The disease, otherwise known as SlE (Systemic lupus Erythematosus), does not have a known cure but can be treated so that the patient can lead a near normal life. Incidentally, it is known to mainly affect women rather than men with a 9:1 ratio.
“It is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the body’s cells and tissue resulting in inflammation and tissue damage and affect different organs including the skin and mucous membranes, kidneys, lungs, heart and central nervous system,” Prof G Narsimulu, President of the Indian Rheumatology Association, said.
Prof Narsimulu was speaking at a seminar on “living Well with lupus” held at the Institute of Medical Sciences and Sum Hospital (IMSSH) to mark the World lupus Day on Sunday.
Most of the female victims of the ailment are in the childbearing age group of 15 to 45 with the worldwide prevalence of the disease being 20 to 150 cases per 100,000-population. There is, however, no recent data on the exact prevalence of lupus in India.
Pointing out that the disease requires regular and careful follow-up, Prof Narsimulu said it is known as “the great imitator” because it often mimicks illnesses causing confusion.
Prof Ramanath Mishra, Head of the Department of Immunology at the Sanjay Gandhi Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS), lucknow, who also graced the occasion, said that with improvement in treatment there has been a dramatic decrease in the lupus mortality.
While 50 per cent of patients died within five years in 1950, today 90 per cent of the sufferers survive for more than 20 years, he said.
At present, over five million people worldwide suffer from the disease while each year over a 100,000 young women, men and children are newly diagnosed with it, Dr Jyoti Ranjan Parida, Associate Professor in the Department of Immunology and Rheumatology at Sum Hospital, said. lupus, however, is not contagious and not known to pass to the offspring genetically, he said.
“Although there is no cure for lupus, it is treatable and can help the patient lead a near-normal life. Treatment is generally based on symptoms and the organs affected. But major organ involvement in the form of brain or kidney would require treatment with high dose steroids and immunosuppressive drugs. It requires regular monitoring by a clinical immunologist or rhematologist who can pick up the warning signals and prevent it in time,” Dr Parida said.