What Is Systemic Lupus Erythematosus?
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is one of the most common autoimmune, systemic rheumatic diseases. It is known to affect the entire body, especially the connective tissue, but may involve organs and organ systems as well. The patients of SLE may have alternating phases of disease flare-ups, with a span of mild or asymptomatic phases in between. The disease is highly predisposed in women; however, men may also be affected. The disease effects are often overlooked in a man, often leading to a delayed diagnosis. Apart from the difference in sexes, the difference in races is also quite marked in the context of SLE occurrence. Women and men who are black in origin have a greater predilection towards SLE compared to whites. The reasoning for this is not yet certain.
What Causes Systemic Lupus Erythematosus?
Systemic lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disorder. One’s immunity is held accountable for the occurrence of this disease. The body has a well-established immune system that is responsible for fighting any external infections or foreign invasions like bacteria or viruses. Upon detecting a potential threat, the immune system immediately responds by releasing phagocytic cells and cytokines (inflammatory chemicals) that engulf the microorganism and kill it. However, in some cases, the immune system is highly activated or cannot distinguish between foreign and familiar pathogens. This provokes the immune system to act abnormally by targeting the healthy, living cells of the body. This phenomenon is referred to as autoimmunity. Systemic lupus erythematosus is one such autoimmune disorder, among many others.
The clear reason for the autoimmunity to be triggered is not yet certain. Theories have been proposed that circle around the family history or genetic makeup of the patient, certain environmental factors and personal habits (like smoking), or immunological factors.
Who Is Affected by Systemic Lupus Erythematosus?
Lupus is said to be a female-dominated disease. Out of every ten people with SLE, nine of them identify as women. This huge difference in sexes is quite dramatic and often leads to an overlooked diagnosis in men. The highly active immune system of women has been proposed as one of the factors owing to the large number of autoimmune diseases originating in women. Approximately 8 percent of the total population are victims of autoimmune diseases. Out of this, 78 percent of people are women. This does not allow one to disregard its incidence in men. The symptoms of SLE are observed to be more aggressive in men compared to women.
What Are the Symptoms of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus?
The most common symptoms of SLE are:
- Joint aches and pains.
- Inflammation of joint and surrounding structures.
- Headache, sometimes accompanied by body aches.
- Extreme fatigue and tiredness.
- The Butterfly Rash’ is characterized by a prominent skin rash covering the nose and cheeks.
- Loss of hair.
- Anemia (lower than average count of red blood cells).
- Raynaud’s phenomenon (the extremities of the hands and legs turn blue and cold; tingling sensation present).
- Difficulty in clotting of blood.
- Depending on the severity of the disease, different organs of the body, like the heart, kidney, or digestive tract, may also show clinical manifestations of SLE.
The symptoms in both men and women are found to be similar. However, the severity of certain symptoms affecting the organ systems of the body has been shown to affect men more aggressively than women.
What Are the Clinical Manifestations of SLE in Men?
Although showing similar symptoms in both men and women, SLE-diagnosed men show a relatively higher mortality rate compared to women. The markedly delayed diagnosis of the disease in men is the culprit here. The possibility of incidence of SLE in men, though low, is quite there. Due to delayed diagnosis, there is subsequent damage caused to the organ systems of the body over time that may be beyond repair. The awareness of SLE in men has also been reported to be quite low. Due to this, men with SLE are diagnosed at a much older age than women. Men are found to have a higher rate of end-organ damage than women, owing to a reduced survival rate.
How Does SLE Affect Men’s Mental Health?
Stress has proven to deteriorate the symptoms of SLE, increasing the risk of disease flare-ups. Men have always been known to deal with their emotions in a ‘manly’ way. Society has made it difficult for men to talk about their feelings as openly as women. Personal problems, work-life problems, or financial crises - men are known to handle it all with a strong facade, neglecting the whirlpool of thoughts encountered internally. Joining a support group that discusses autoimmune disorders and their consequences openly can provide a good prognosis in men with SLE. Encouraging men to be more vulnerable is the key to checking SLE flare-ups associated with declined mental health.
What Is the Treatment of SLE?
No definite cure for SLE has been discovered to date. The only way to manage the disease is to control its flare-ups by following a symptomatic treatment plan that is tailored to the severity level of the disease. The common treatment protocol includes:
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Administering non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to address the pain and swelling in joints and surrounding tissues
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Taking corticosteroids to control the immune response of the body
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Steroid-containing topical ointments to improve the rashes occurring on the face and body
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Disease modifying anti-rheumatic Drugs (DMARDs) for more severe cases that do not show any improvement with other medications
Although SLE has not shown any effects on fertility and reproductive ability in men, some medications used to treat lupus may lower the sperm count and cause fertility issues. Keeping a cautious eye on bodily functions is crucial to prevent any serious adverse effects from occurring.
Conclusion
Consulting a sound lupus specialist is essential to avoid delaying the confirmed diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus, especially in men. It may pose a difficulty to bust the myth about SLE being a women’s disease. Therefore, spreading awareness about SLE and its possible consequences among men must be initiated by every healthcare provider.
