Definition
(lupus = wolf, redness; erythematosus = blushing) Lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disease from the group of collagenoses. The clinical picture of lupus erythematosus is a systemic disease of the skin, but also of the vascular connective tissue of many organs. In addition there are so-called vasculitides, i.e. inflammations
- The vessels (vasa= vessel, -itis = inflammation),
- The small arteries or
- Arterioles (very small arteries).
OccurrenceFrequency
About 50 out of 100000 inhabitants suffer from lupus ersthematosus. The rate of new cases is between 5 and 10 persons per 100000 inhabitants annually. Women are about ten times more frequently affected than men.
In addition, it is mainly women of childbearing age who fall ill. A so-called “late onset” is also possible. In these cases, patients do not fall ill until they are 55 years old. Again, women are more frequently affected, but only twice as often.
More details on lupus erythematosus
Collagenosis is a group of diseases that occur mainly in the connective tissue – in the entire body. Lupus belongs to the group of autoimmune diseases. An autoimmune disease is characterized by the fact that the body turns against itself and fights itself.
The hereditary predisposition seems to play a role in these diseases, but the exact cause is unknown. In principle, lupus erythematosus affects the entire body. Furthermore, lupus is one of the systemic diseases.
Such a systemic disease is a disease that affects an entire system of the organism, for example the haematopoietic system in leukemia. In the case of lupus, the vascular system and its connective tissue are affected. The disease of lupus also includes the deposition of immune complexes, which are combinations of different components.
Cells that play a role in the body’s own defense system cross-link with the cells that they want to fight and thus form the immune complexes. These are distributed throughout the body by the blood vessel system. The immune complexes can be deposited in almost all organs of the body and cause inflammation. Another conceivable consequence would also be the functional impairment of the respective organs.
- DNA (our genetic material),
- Complement (a defense system of the body) and
- Fibrin (serves for clotting).
