Hyderabad: World Lupus Day, observed on May 10 every year across the world, serves as a global platform to raise awareness about the lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease that affects millions of people worldwide. When lupus was first used in the 13th century to refer to lesions on the face that resembled a wolf's bite, it was given its name from the Latin word for "wolf."
Since 2004, May 10 has been marked with events organised by lupus organizations worldwide to increase public awareness of the disease's symptoms and consequences on health.
What is Lupus?
Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body (skin, joints, and/or organs inside the body). Chronic means that the signs and symptoms tend to last longer than six weeks and often for many years.
Lupus - Global Health Issue
Every day, more than 5 million people worldwide struggle with the often debilitating health consequences of lupus, a potentially fatal autoimmune disease capable of damaging virtually any part of the body, including the skin, heart, lungs, kidneys, and brain. Lupus affects people in all parts of the world. While some groups of people develop lupus more frequently than others, lupus develops in people of all ages, races, ethnicities and genders.
Common Signs of Lupus
- Skin rashes (characteristic butterfly rash)
- Joint pain and inflammation
- Tiredness
- Tever and involvement of organs such as kidneys, heart, lung or brain.
Key Facts
- 90% of lupus instances are in women, usually between the ages of 15 and 44.
- It takes an average of six years to diagnose lupus, despite the disease being quite common.
- Any organ or system in the body can be impacted by lupus, which can cause a wide range of symptoms such as organ damage, rashes, exhaustion, and pain in the joints.
- Although there is still no known cure for lupus, symptoms can be managed and quality of life increased with early diagnosis and effective therapy.
- While it is rare, men can also develop lupus. Women make up 90% of the lupus population.
Lupus in India
A multisystem autoimmune illness, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) disproportionately affects women in the reproductive age range. In India, 3.2 cases of SLE are documented for per 100,000 people.
World Lupus Day is a potent reminder of how critical it is to spread knowledge about lupus and provide support to those who are impacted by this autoimmune chronic condition. Through collaborative efforts involving educational programs, advocacy efforts, and support services, we can enhance the quality of life and results for individuals coping with lupus.
