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Being diagnosed with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) can be a severe disappointment, and life after diagnosis can be defined as an existence filled with uncertainty as to the short-and long-term impact of the disease. SLE is a chronic multi-system autoimmune disease that is persistent and recurrent and has the potential of becoming life threatening. The manifestations and severity of the disease varies between individuals. SLE can potentially influence nearly all of the body's organ systems. In this book, Chapter One reviews, Raynaud's phenomenon (RP), one of the nonspecific skin changes that occur in SLE. Chapter Two presents the debate on the causes of fatigue in SLE and factors that increase fatigue. Chapter Three reviews and illustrates the important findings of musculoskeletal diseases in SLE. Chapter Four examines SLE in young adults and reviews information about the pain, social impact, and interventions to improve functioning of these young adults.

One million people in the United States suffer from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE or lupus), a chronic autoimmune disease that is potentially debilitating and sometimes fatal as the immune system attacks the body's cells and tissue, resulting in inflammation and tissue damage. SLE can affect any part of the body, but most often damages the heart, joints, skin, lungs, blood vessels, liver, kidneys and nervous system. The course of the disease is unpredictable, with periods of illness alternating with remission. It can be treated symptomatically, mainly with corticosteroids and immunosuppressants, though there is currently no cure. The symptoms of lupus vary widely, come and go unpredictably, and often mimic or are mistaken for other illnesses. As a result, patients present with varied symptoms to different practitioners and diagnosis can be elusive, with patients sometimes suffering unexplained symptoms and untreated lupus for years. Hence, a practical guide to the diagnosis and treatment of lupus is a valuable resource to an array of clinicians and may help expedite earlier diagnosis and better patient care. Part of the Oxford American Rheumatology Library, this concise, authoritative pocketbook describes the pathophysiology of lupus, diagnostic strategies and tools, and current and emerging therapeutic options, focusing on direct clinical applications for busy healthcare professionals. With 20 new tables and the most up-to-date information on the diagnosis, treatment and management of the condition, this second edition fulfills a need for a concise, practical guide to Lupus for clinicians that distills the principal features of this complicated, often misunderstood disorder.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is one of the prototypical systemic autoimmune diseases characterized by inflammation, immune complex deposition, and vasculitis.@Patients with SLE show various symptoms and clinical images, both constitutional and specific organ symptoms. They include the skin, joints, muscles, kidneys, lungs, nervous system, and blood vessels. Although the etiology of the disease is still unclear, genetic, hormonal, immunologic abnormalities and environmental factors complicatedly play important roles in the pathophysiology in SLE. It is evident that multiple genes show genetic susceptibility to SLE. Environmental factors of SLE and immunologic abnormalities, especially the production of a number of auto-antibody, are important features of the disease. In this book, we present recent knowledge about the prevalence, pathophysiology and prognosis of SLE. The book includes various interesting chapters: Chapter One - an illustrated overview of the prevalence and clinical symptoms of systemic lupus erythematosus; Chapter Two - the pathophysiology of systemic lupus erythematosus; Chapter Three - MBL and MBL genotypes in SLE; Chapter Four - novel biological activities of autoantibodies as the potential markers of systematic lupus erythematosus; Chapter Five - cytokines in systemic lupus erythematosus (sle) with clinical aspects and prognostics; Chapter Six - prognosis in systemic lupus erythematosus; and Chapter Seven - autoantibody-producing RP105-negative B cells in humans and a murine model of lupus erythematosus.