Lupus and Multiple Sclerosis

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Lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus) is an autoimmune condition that is characterized by systematic damages caused on the immune system by the body itself. The most affected parts if the body by this condition are, heart, kidney, liver, joints, and the brain. With these parts of the body affected, the entire body can end up being paralyzed or rather not working well. Lupus or SLE is commonly recognized by butterfly rush which spreads across the nose and cheeks (Magro et al. 2013). However, the most common symptoms for lupus are joint pains and swellings, kidney failures, fatigue, and photosensitivity.
Lupus is mainly caused by a combination of genetic predisposition and environmental triggers. According to Magro et al., genes, environment, and genetic factors cause lupus (2013). The most affected by this condition are women compared to men. In addition, lupus affects people aged between 20- 40, although, children are said to rarely get lupus. Initially, a person diagnosed with lupus was said to die because there was no treatment. However, with the advancement in treatment and prevention methods, people with lupus can live normal lives. With proper treatment of lupus, the condition can be managed and the affected organs protected from severe damages.
Just like lupus, Multiple sclerosis is a chronic immune system disease that affects the central nervous system. The cause of this condition is unknown; however, some of the causes are violent trauma to the head or spinal cord, and or an immune system attack, which causes the body to attack the myelin sheaths around the neurons in the ascending and descending pathways and most of all genetic and environmental factors. Rosner (2008) notes that, multiple sclerosis is the common cause ...

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...er similarity id that they have no cure, mainly affects women, only symptoms are treatable and they start in early adulthood. Conversely, as much as they are both autoimmune conditions, lupus attacks skin, joints, and the nervous system while multiple sclerosis deteriorates the protective sheaths around the nerve cells, which later on results to the damage of the nervous system and the brain.

Works Cited

Ferreira, S. D'Cruz, D. P. and Hughes, G. R. V. (2005). Multiple sclerosis, neuropsychiatric lupus and antiphospholipid syndrome: where do we stand? Rheumatology, 44 (4): 434-442.
Rosner, J. (2008). Multiple Sclerosis. New York, Simon & Schuster.
Magro, C., Cohen, D., Bollen, E. L., Buchem M. A., Huizinga, T.W., and Steup-Beekman, G. M. (2013). Demyelinating disease in SLE: is it multiple sclerosis or lupus? Best Practice Res Clinic Rheumatol. 27(3):405-24

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