Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: How to Live with It
SLE or Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (also known as disseminated lupus erythematosus, lupus, lupus erythematosus, butterfly rash-SLE, and discoid lupus) is a kind of autoimmune disease. This happens when the immune system mistakenly treats the body as something foreign which triggers the system to attack the body’s healthy tissue. This then affects all parts of the body. 90% of systemic lupus erythematosus cases affect women. Medlineplus, a US National Library of Medicine, also stated that the disease usually occurs between the ages of 15 and 44. It is believed that SLE’s usual victims are African Americans and Asians. Moreover, Caucasians are believed to have higher survival rates (94%-96%) as compared to the Asian ethnicities (79%-92%). However, Koreans are said to have the highest survival rate of 98%.