Lack of awareness on Lupus often leads to misdiagnosis, delayed treatment

CHENNAI: There is less awareness on the incidence of autoimmune disorders such as Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), which leads to misdiagnosis and wrongful treatment. Experts say that early detection of symptoms can help in successful treatment of Lupus.

Dr Sham Santhanam, consultant rheumatologist, Kauvery Hospital, says: “SLE can cause inflammation and pain throughout the body. Patients with SLE can present with multiple clinical features, including stroke-like manifestations and heart attack-like symptoms. Unfortunately, many people neglect the symptoms or are misdiagnosed due to a lack of awareness.”

Most of these symptoms are reversible with appropriate treatment. Patients can lead a normal life of good quality, with certain lifestyle modifications and regular follow-ups.

“We’ve treated many young pregnant women with SLE. They’ve also delivered healthy babies without any complications,” he added.

Recently, the hospital successfully treated a woman with SLE after she was admitted with varied symptoms including fever, cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, generalised swelling, and high BP. She also hawd low haemoglobin, high levels of protein in her urine, acute kidney failure, and a urinary tract infection with sepsis.

She developed seizures and an MRI evaluation showed that she had CNS vasculitis, which is an inflammation of the blood vessels in the brain, and can cause the brain to swell and lead to stroke-like symptoms. Her heart function was also affected.

She was given medications for the disease while being on immune-suppressants. She’s currently taking oral medications and requires regular follow-up and long-term treatment.

“Conditions like Lupus were not well known in the past but are now being diagnosed quite often among the Indian population. Though the cause is multifactorial, advances in treatment and research have given hope to those affected. Timely diagnosis and appropriate intervention can help them recover,” opines Dr Aravindan Selvaraj, co-founder and executive director, Kauvery Hospital.