What Are The Risk Factors For Lupus?

Lupus is an autoimmune disease and so far no cure has been discovered to eradicate it. Today we are going to reveal some risk factors that can cause us to suffer from it.

Lupus is an autoimmune disease, meaning the immune system attacks healthy cells and tissues in the body by mistake. Lupus patients experience a loss of self-tolerance as a result of abnormal immune function and autoantibody production.

At present, there is still no cure that completely eradicates this disease. Next, we will talk about the types of lupus and their risk factors.

Types of lupus

There are different types of lupus with very different characteristics. Let’s see what they are:

• Systemic lupus erythematosus : It is the most commonly detected type and can be severe or mild. The immune system attacks cells and tissues in various parts of the body.
• Discoid lupus : This type has a clear target, the skin. It causes very annoying skin eruptions that are itchy and stinging.
• Subacute cutaneous lupus : like the previous one, it also affects the skin, but only if it is exposed to the sun. The blisters that come out are very painful.

• Drug-induced lupus : Certain drugs can cause our immune systems to turn against us. As soon as we stop taking them, in principle, the problem should disappear.
• Neonatal lupus : This is the least common type and occurs only in newborns. Its appearance may be linked to certain antibodies in the mother.

Risk factors for lupus

Now that we know something more about this autoimmune disease, let’s see what are the risk factors that can condition us to contract it.

Sex

One of the risk factors for lupus is being female. Women are more likely to develop it and the reason is in sex hormones. The amount of estrogens, much higher in women than in men, affects the immune system, enhancing lupus.

For this reason, women who develop the disease should not take contraceptives. These methods to regulate cycles and prevent birth have a large amount of estrogens that would aggravate it.

Age

Age is also another risk factor for lupus. Between the ages of 15 and 45, women are at their most fertile. The reason is, again, in estrogens.

Estrogens are involved in a woman’s fertility, protecting the body and preparing it for a possible pregnancy. With this, the most common is that the first symptoms of lupus are detected before the age of 18.

The race

Factors such as race are involved in lupus. For this reason, it is more common for this disease to be suffered by African-American, Hispanic-Latino, Asian, or Native American people.

When lupus develops in people of the aforementioned races, it usually appears at an early age and its affectation is greater or more serious. Research is continuing on this at present.

Family background

The last of the risk factors for lupus is a family history. As with many other diseases, the fact that someone in the family has had it increases the chances of contracting it.

If there is an uncle or great-grandfather in the family, for example, who has suffered from lupus, there will be more risks of having it. A curiosity about this condition is that it is not common for it to be inherited directly from mothers to children.

How to treat lupus?

Since there is no cure for lupus, treatment must be aimed at preventing future flare-ups, treating the symptoms, and reducing the damage that the disease can cause. Depending on the type of lupus that we suffer, we can suffer from arthritis, anemia, kidney problems, depression, ulcers or cholesterol.

To try to reduce these symptoms and problems , specific medications containing hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine will be used. Thus, the following benefits can be obtained:

• Reduction of inflammation and pain.
• Prevention of future outbreaks.
• Help for the immune system.
• Reduction and prevention of joint damage.
• Balance hormones.

The lupus disease usually causes a lot of stress, anxiety and depression because it will accompany the sick person forever. This causes hopelessness and frustration. However, if it is given the right treatment, it can be kept under control in order to enjoy a better quality of life.