LUPUS
An autoimmune disease that causes the body to attack its own healthy cells, lupus has no known origin. While its symptoms are primarily recognizable, they can often mimic other diseases, thereby delaying accurate diagnosis. Joint pain, poor circulation and a telltale rash are just three of myriad symptoms indicative of lupus, a disease that inevitably impacts major organs by way of compromising the body's defenses, as well as through invasive steroid treatment that weakens bones.
Lupus tricks the body into thinking there is an enemy that needs to be attacked; at this point, the body loses sight of an enemy cell and its own healthy cells, effectively eradicating all cells. Because the body cannot readily differentiate between…show more content… Dialysis is where blood passes through either a machine with filters called hemodialysis or through the abdominal cavity called peritoneal dialysis and the abdomen subsequently removes it. Dr. Sergio Schwartzman, a rheumatologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan notes that in the past, the focus has been on trying to suppress the immune system. The goal for researchers is to find a treatment that is significantly less toxic as a means by which to decrease the need for steroids. Ironically, the very treatment that allows an individual to lead a relatively normal life is often responsible for long-term, serious side effects. Steroids, with particular attention paid to Prednisone, have the capacity to suppress the body's immune system, thus maintaining control over the spread of antibodies; however, it also wreaks havoc upon internal organs and bone mass. As such, treatment options have shifted from relying heavily upon such corticosteroids to other immunosuppressive drugs, as different organs are impacted at varying degrees, treatment must be closely monitored when steroids are prescribed for lupus. Current treatment often includes a combination of drugs. This recent technological breakthrough has effectively set the foundation for a new class of
