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Overview

Name: Lupus butterfly rash

Description: source: NIEHS

Creator: Dr21205

This casebook is published and has been read 1477 times.

The author of this casebook has identified the following medical topics as being highly relevant to this casebook.

• Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus -- A form of lupus erythematosus in which the skin may be the only organ involved or in which skin involvement precedes the spread into other body systems. It has been classified into three forms - acute (= LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS, SYSTEMIC with skin lesions), subacute, and chronic (= LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS, DISCOID).
  
• Lupus Erythematosus, Discoid -- A chronic form of cutaneous lupus erythematosus (LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS, CUTANEOUS) in which the skin lesions mimic those of the systemic form but in which systemic signs are rare. It is characterized by the presence of discoid skin plaques showing varying degrees of edema, erythema, scaliness, follicular plugging, and skin atrophy. Lesions are surrounded by an elevated erythematous border. The condition typically involves the face and scalp, but widespread dissemination may occur.
  
• Lupus Erythematosus -- A chronic inflammatory connective tissue disease marked by skin rashes, joint pain and swelling, inflammation of the kidneys, inflammation of the fibrous tissue surrounding the heart (i.e., the pericardium), as well as other problems. Not all affected individuals display all of these problems. Also called systemic lupus erythematosus.
  
• Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic -- A chronic, relapsing, inflammatory, and often febrile multisystemic disorder of connective tissue, characterized principally by involvement of the skin, joints, kidneys, and serosal membranes. It is of unknown etiology, but is thought to represent a failure of the regulatory mechanisms of the autoimmune system. The disease is marked by a wide range of system dysfunctions, an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and the formation of LE cells in the blood or bone marrow.
  
• LUPUS NEPHRITIS -- Glomerulonephritis associated with autoimmune disease SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS. Lupus nephritis is histologically classified into 6 classes: class I - normal glomeruli, class II - pure mesangial alterations, class III - focal segmental glomerulonephritis, class IV - diffuse glomerulonephritis, class V - diffuse membranous glomerulonephritis, and class VI - advanced sclerosing glomerulonephritis (The World Health Organization classification 1982).
  

Notes

Description

Lupus is a chronic disease that causes the immune system to attack the body???s own tissues and organs, resulting in inflammation of the skin, joints, blood, and kidneys. Common symptoms of lupus include joint and muscle pain, fatigue, low-grade fever, skin rashes, chest pain, unusual hair loss, anemia, and sensitivity to sunlight. While genetic susceptibility plays an important role in the development of lupus, little is known about the contribution of environmental factors to the disease process. Preliminary results from the Carolina Lupus Study, the first population-based study to examine the influence of hormonal and occupational exposures on systemic lupus, show that workers who were exposed to crystalline silica dust, a mineral found in rocks and soil, had a two- to four-fold increased risk for developing the disease.

Health Studies & Clinical Trials

• Carolina Lupus Study(http://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/atniehs/labs/epi/studies/cls/index.cfm)
• Pathogenic Studies in Families with Twins or Siblings Discordant for Systemic Rheumatic Disorders(http://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/clinical/join/bethesda/participants/studies/psftsdsrd.cfm)

General Information

• Environmental Health Perspectives, Environews by Topic: Autoimmune Disease(http://www.ehponline.org/topic/autoimm.html)

 

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