May 10th marks World Lupus Day, a crucial moment to raise awareness about Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), a chronic autoimmune disease that affects millions worldwide, mainly young women, at a ratio of nine women to every man.
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is among the diseases we call "great imitators," as it often presents with symptoms that are common to other diseases and are often nonspecific.
What is systemic lupus erythematosus?
SLE is a disease in which the individual's immune system reacts against parts of itself, leading to inflammation, dysfunction, and/or damage to one or more organs and systems. Virtually any organ or system can be affected by the disease.
Like most autoimmune diseases, there is no established cause for SLE, and multiple factors are involved in its genesis. Often, a triggering event occurs in an individual genetically susceptible to autoimmune processes. Triggering events can be environmental, hormonal, or infectious factors, among others.
