Lupus
Contents of this Article
Who Gets Lupus?
SLE (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus) usually first affects people between the ages of 15 and 45 years, but anyone can get lupus, it can occur in childhood or later in life as well. Studies suggest that more than 16,000 new cases are reported annually across the country.
More women than men have lupus. African American, Latino, Asian, and Native American women are at greater risk of getting lupus than white women.
African Americans and Hispanics/Latinos tend to get lupus at a younger age and have more symptoms, including kidney problems. Lupus also tends to be more severe in these ethnic groups. For example, African Americans with lupus have more problems with seizures and strokes. Hispanic/Latino patients have more heart problems. Scientists believe that genes play a role in how lupus affects these ethnic groups.
Lupus can run in families, but the risk that a child or a brother or sister of a patient will also have lupus is still quite low.
It is estimated that between 1.5 and 2 million Americans have a form of lupus, but the real number may be higher because its symptoms vary widely and its onset is often hard to pinpoint.
References:
1) The National Women's Health Information Center - U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Office on Women's Health - May 2008 - www.4woman.gov
2) National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) - Information Clearinghouse - National Institutes of Health - Department of Health and Human Services - NIH Publication No. 03-4178 - September 1997 - Revised August 2003 - www.niams.nih.gov
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