What is systemic lupus erythematosus?

  Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease. It develops with the interaction of individual genetic factors, sex hormone levels, environmental factors, and immune dysfunction of the body. The onset of SLE is either insidious and slow, or rapid and sudden. However, the onset of the disease is mostly prolonged and persistent, and repeated aggravation can easily cause damage to multiple parts of the body and multiple systems, and even irreversible and serious damage to important organs and death.  Common clinical manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus 1. Red papules occurring in many parts of the body, such as other parts of the face, auricle, neck, forehead and back, arms and lower limbs, etc., are called discoid erythema. The above symptoms will appear and worsen when exposed to sunlight, which is called photoallergic phenomenon.  2. Raynaud’s sign The phenomenon of alternating pallor and red-purple on the fingers, toes and their nail beds, and the ends of the limbs is called Raynaud’s sign. It is a manifestation of SLE vasculitis and is mostly triggered by factors such as cold or emotional changes.  3.General manifestations include hair loss, oral ulcers, conjunctival congestion, edema, loss of appetite and emaciation, etc.  4.Fever Most of the patients have fever, and some patients also have fever as the first symptom. Fever is a persistent high fever, which can occur repeatedly during the course of the disease and is the main sign of rheumatic activity.  5, joint swelling, pain, large and small joints of the extremities can appear swelling, pain, some patients can be the first symptom. Repeated episodes of joint swelling and pain, but no obvious joint deformity changes, which is a different point of differentiation from rheumatoid.  6. edema – renal function impairment Most lupus patients can have different degrees of renal function impairment, manifested as hematuria, proteinuria, tubuluria, hypoproteinemia, swelling of both lower limbs, hypertension, etc. The late stage of end-systemic treatment may easily lead to renal failure and uremia.  7, cardiovascular damage manifested as panic, palpitations, chest pain, weakness, purple chancre, etc.. Most often pericarditis is the most common, but it can also be manifested as myocarditis, endocarditis and arrhythmia.  8. Respiratory system damage Pleural effusion, interstitial lung changes and lupus pneumonia may occur. The manifestation is cough, dry cough is common, shortness of breath, chest pain or wheezing dyspnea, etc.  9, neurological damage can be manifested in two categories: neurological symptoms are most common in epilepsy, and cerebrovascular and peripheral neuropathy such as headache, vomiting, vertigo, and numbness of limbs can also occur. Mental symptoms can be manifested as different degrees of thinking, emotion, disorientation, etc.  10, impaired hematopoietic function manifested as anemia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, etc., especially leukopenia is the most common. Severe damage to the hematological system may have obvious bleeding from the skin, mucous membranes and even internal organs.