Systemic lupus erythematosus: why timely therapy is important

Systemic lupus erythematosus is rarely diagnosed and adequately treated the first time because doctors misdiagnose its symptoms and prescribe the wrong therapy – trying to treat u patient with eczema, seborrhea, or photodermatosis. And only when the therapy is ineffective, additional examinations are prescribed, after which lupus erythematosus is diagnosed. This disease cannot be cured completely, but if therapy is started as early as possible, using modern methods and drugs, then it is quite possible to achieve an acceptable quality of life for the patient.

Systemic lupus erythematosus is one of the most severe dermatological diseases, since it cannot be cured, causes serious suffering to the patient and affects the internal organs. The causes of systemic lupus erythematosus are not exactly known, but there is reason to assume a direct connection with the Epstein-Barr virus, which probably provokes the production of antibodies to cells of the skin, epithelium and connective tissue. Hormonal disorders of the body cannot cause this disease, as was believed until recently time, but can significantly aggravate its course.

Dermal and systemic manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus

The most important diagnostic sign of systemic lupus erythematosus is inflammation of the skin on the face in the form of a butterfly – erythema on the back of the nose and symmetrically on the cheekbones and cheeks. Another characteristic sign of systemic lupus erythematosus is a symmetrical lesion of large joints, and at the expense of damage to the ligaments.

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In the initial stage, systemic lupus erythematosus has a continuous course with brief remissions, and in the field of late stages it almost always turns into a systemic form. At first, the disease looks like erythematous dermatitis or like photodermatoses, as patients complain of increased sensitivity to the sun. But photodermatoses in systemic lupus erythematosus have the appearance of rounded depigmented spots with a hyperemic corolla & nbsp; and atrophied skin in the center.

The surface of the inflamed area of the skin is covered with scaly scales, and attempts to separate them from the skin cause severe pain. Gradually inflamed areas, starting from the middle and expanding to the periphery, are replaced by smooth alabaster-white skin. The well-being of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus worsens in summer and autumn, since solar radiation is active at this time.

Additional manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus:

alopecia (when the disease spreads to the scalp);
skin itching, urticaria;
mesh livedo on the skin of the legs;
telangiectasias, psoriasis-like lesions all over the body;
damage to organs that have connective tissue (renal pelvis, membranes of the heart, central nervous system, gastrointestinal tract);
joint pains, headaches – not due to weather changes or injuries.

Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus are characterized by mood swings, photophobia, dry mouth, and stinging eyes.

Diagnosis and treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus

In addition to the characteristic external manifestations that help not to confuse systemic lupus erythematosus with other diseases, the diagnosis is made on the basis of laboratory tests – and according to the manifestations of symptoms in each group. Please be aware that some serological tests may give false positive results.

Treatment usually consists of applying corticosteroid ointments to the affected areas of the skin, symptomatic therapy (for example, NSAIDs for joint pain), individual selection of courses of systemic & nbsp; corticosteroids.

Therapy with the patient's stem cells has proven to be a very effective method in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus. The patient receives lifestyle advice: avoid the sun, apply UV protection creams to the skin. Timely and competent therapy will help to avoid disability and improve the patient's quality of life.