Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease which can affect various systems in the body. Autoimmune diseases cause the body to attack its own cells as if they were foreign pathogens. This can result in a wide assortment of physical symptoms, largely depending on which system (e.g., central nervous system, renal system, cardiovascular system) is most “under attack.” Antibodies are produced by the body which attack healthy cells and tissues, and these hyperactive immune responses can be extremely damaging to many parts of the body. When essential organs are attacked by the disease, lupus can be life threatening. Known not-so-affectionately as “
The Great Imitator,” the disease has been historically difficult to diagnose and treat, due in part to its symptoms’ similarities to a host of other illnesses.
