SLE Flashcards
what are connective tissue diseases?
conditions associated with spontaneous overactivity of the immune system, involving auto antibodies
what is SLE (systemic lupus erythematosus)?
a systemic autoimmune condition causing inflammation and tissue damage that can affect almost anywhere in the body
who is at higher risk of getting lupus
females, especially in child bearing years (9:1 ratio of female to male)
more common and severe in afro-caribbean, hispanic american, asian and chinese ethnicity
does smoking affect your chances of developing lupus?
yes it increases the chance of you developing lupus
describe the pathogenesis of SLE
- defect in apoptosis that causes increased cell death
- a problem with clearing the apoptotic cell debris, creating lots of nuclear auto antigens
- B cells begin to produce auto antigens that form auto antigen-antibody complexes
- immune complexes circulate the body and deposit themselves in different tissues/organs
- The deposit of these complexes in the tissue triggers the activation of the complement system which attracts leucocytes which release cytokines. The cytokines cause inflammation. These lead to inflammation, necrosis and scarring.
what is the lupus classificayion criteria called?
EULAR/ACR 2019 SLE classification criteria
what molecule is positive 95% of time in patients with lupus?
ANA positive
what are some general symptoms of lupus?
- fever
- fatigue
how may lupus present on skin?
- non-scarring alopecia (bottom right)
- oral ulceration
- half patients have a facial rash (top right)
- subacute cutaneous may present with erythematous rashes on chest/arms (top left)
- discoid lupus presents with scaly rash on cheeks/nose (bottom left)
what are some symptoms of lupus affecting joints?
joints -arthritis, synovitis, arthralgia
what are some neurological manifestations of lupus?
- headache (common)
- seizure
- psychosis
- delirium
- cranial nerve disorder
what are some resp manifestations of lupus?
- sorositis (presents as a pleural or pericadial effusion with acute pericarditis)
- pleurisy
- effusion
- pneumonitis
- PE
- pulmonary hypertension
- ILD
what are some haemotological manifestations of lupus?
- leukopenia
- thrombocytopenia
- haemolytic anaemia
- lymphadenopathy
- lymphopenia
what are some menifestations of renal involvement of lupus?
proteinuria >0.5g in 24 hours
biopsy proven nephritis
red cell casts
what antibodies are associated with SLE?
- ANA (not very specific)
- dsDNA (highly specific affects 60%)
- lupus anticoagulant
- anti cardiolipin antibodies
- anti beta2glycoprotein antibodies
- Anti Ro antibody (not specific)
- Anti Sm (highly specific but only present in 30%)