Pcan manifest itself in mild or severe forms, with very different symptoms and a often very heavy impact on quality of life.
Let’s talk about LESthat is to say Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, chronic disease which affects around 30 thousand people in Italy alone, most of them women of childbearing agewith an age of onset between 15 and 45 years. A pathology which until recently was considered to have a serious prognosis, but which today, thanks to the progress made in the scientific field, can be kept under control. Especially if recognized and ‘drudged out’ for time. That’s why the month of Maydedicated to raising awareness of SLE, can become a precious opportunity to shed light on aspects of the pathology that are still little known today.
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: what is it?
The Systemic Lupus Erythematosusso called because of the characteristic rash on the face similar to a wolf biteit’s a disease autoimmune in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s healthy tissuescausing inflammation and damage. The disorder can affect skin and joints but, in some cases, it can also affect the kidneys, heart, lungs and nervous system and other organs, with a very variable course, which includes clinical pictures ranging from mild to more severe.
What causes the disease?
Although the causes are not yet fully known, they are known today factors that can influence development of the disease. Among these, the genetic predisposition – SLE is not hereditary but there can be a ‘familiarity‘, i.e. a greater predisposition to develop this disease within a specific family group – factors of external originhow exposure to the sun or tanning lamps, viral infections, stressful events of particular intensity and intake of some drugsor even a malfunction of the immune system.
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: the bells and whistles not to be ignored
A of the more complex aspects However, it concerns me symptoms with which SLE can manifest itself, very different from each other and often attributable to other pathologies, a factor that can hinder the recognition of the disease, for this reason often defined as ‘invisible’. «In a young woman, non-specific but persistent symptoms should not be overlooked tiredness, fever, joint pain especially in the hands and wrists, spots on the skin, swollen lymph nodes” – explains Professor Marta Mosca, Professor of Rheumatology at the University of Pisa and Director of the Operational Unit and Head of the Lupus Clinic.
The role of the family doctor
These Alarm bells should lead you to contact your GP that can have, if appropriately formeda valuable role in the recognition of the pathology.
«It is crucial that the family doctor knows the red flags and that these lead him to suspect possible Lupusso as to refer the patient to rheumatologist, local or hospital» continues Professor Mosca. “The first contact is the most important one to start a rapid diagnosis process, because if the family doctor refers you to a dermatologist, a hematologist or another specialist you can waste precious time».
The importance of early diagnosis
In fact, waiting a long time before receiving a correct diagnosis often means deal with symptoms that are increasingly difficult to manage in everyday life. «To me It took ten years to reach the diagnosis“, tells Mercedes Callori, President of the LES Italian Odv Group. «Today you can even discover your illness after twenty months. The However, delay can be dangerousbecause over time the disease can progress and affect more organs, with negative consequences.”
The impact on everyday life
Of course, find out about Having Lupus is not easy to accept: on a psychological level, receiving this diagnosis leads many women to dealing with complex moods, such as fear, depression, isolation. «Many patients don’t tell their friends or at work, they hide, they have a thousand doubts also with respect to a possible pregnancy, because perhaps their gynecologist doesn’t know much about it”, underlines Mercedes Callori. «You feel lost and your personal and social life often changes drastically: many have lost their job or a partner, they have difficulty looking after their children… In short, Lupus is a disease that is difficult to live with».
Although it can be a real tsunami on an emotional level, However, receiving the diagnosis of SLE is the first, fundamental step towards being able to manage the disease correctly, counting on personalized therapies and above all on a multidisciplinary approachtoday guaranteed within specialized centers.
The role of Lupus Clinics
«Lupus is a complex disease that affects multiple organs, in the Lupus Clinic there is always a multidisciplinary team of specialists of great experience who can respond to all the patients’ needs, for an overall care that also makes them feel safe and protected”, highlights Professor Mosca. «The Center is important, then, to set up a personalized therapy as soon as possible».
Systemic lupus erythematosus: new therapies
Own on the treatment front they were done today important steps forward That have profoundly changed the management of the disease. «Thank you new targeted biologics against precise targetsone ever-increasing percentage of patients achieves remission and maintains it, plus we can modify the therapy to adapt it to different life stages, for example maternity”, explains Professor Mosca. «Lupus is a disease that it accompanies your whole life and can be complex to manage: being able to use a large number of different drugs it increases the possibility of managing its many aspects with greater effectiveness. Furthermore, thanks to new drugs, today we can use cortisone much lesswhen needed and for a short time.”
Specialized centers: where we are in Italy
If the possibility of accessing the Lupus Clinic offers numerous advantages today, however it should be remembered that these centers specialized in the care and management of patients with lupus, in Italy, are still spread unevenly across the territory and that in some cases access requires a long bureaucratic process which can waste precious time. «The Associations can be of great help, both to raise awareness of the disease», concludes the President of Gruppo LES Italiano Odv, «and to support patients And help them find the nearest Lupus Clinic to turn to».
iO Donna © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
