How is lupus treated?

Written by Zhang Lin
Rheumatology and Immunology Nephrology
Updated on September 09, 2024
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The treatment of lupus erythematosus mainly involves the following aspects: Firstly, mild patients can be treated with antimalarial drugs, such as chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine, thalidomide, and low-dose corticosteroids; moderate active patients can receive individualized treatment with corticosteroids, and immunosuppressants may be used when necessary; for severe patients, corticosteroids are the preferred treatment, combined with immunosuppressants such as cyclophosphamide. Secondly, for lupus crisis patients, treatment can involve immunoglobulin, high-dose corticosteroid pulse therapy. Thirdly, biologics, such as anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies, plasmapheresis, and autologous stem cell transplantation, are also used clinically. Medication for treating lupus erythematosus should be used under the guidance of a doctor, and self-medication should be avoided to prevent serious consequences.

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Written by Zhang Lin
Rheumatology and Immunology Nephrology
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For lupus, register under the department of Rheumatology.

Patients with lupus should visit the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, as lupus is a clinically complex autoimmune disease. Many people think that lupus is a skin disease, but this is not the case. Lupus is a rheumatic and immunological disease, belonging to the category of rheumatic immunological diseases, and is an uncommon autoimmune disease.

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Written by Liu Li Ning
Rheumatology
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What happens if someone with lupus occasionally drinks alcohol?

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease that can affect multiple systems and organs throughout the body and is more commonly seen in women, particularly during their childbearing years. Clinically, it is mainly characterized by fever, rash, joint pain, oral ulcers, and hair loss. In terms of diet, it is recommended to eat light and avoid spicy and irritating foods. It is crucial to strictly abstain from smoking and drinking, avoid excessive fatigue, and direct sun exposure. Importantly, patients should strictly follow medical advice regarding medication and have regular check-ups.

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Written by Zhang Lin
Rheumatology and Immunology Nephrology
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Can lupus be inherited?

Lupus erythematosus is not a genetic disease, but it is a disease with a genetic predisposition. This means that genetic diseases refer to monogenic diseases, including albinism, color blindness, etc., which are determined by a pair of alleles. However, lupus erythematosus is a disease with a genetic predisposition, determined by multiple genes. Although lupus erythematosus is not a genetic disease, if your parents have lupus erythematosus, the chance of the next generation developing lupus erythematosus is about 1% to 16%. This relationship is especially significant between mothers and daughters, and among sisters. Genetic factors account for approximately 20% of the importance in the development of lupus erythematosus. Only the combination of genetic factors and environmental factors together can lead to the occurrence of lupus erythematosus.

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Written by Liu Li Ning
Rheumatology
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Systemic lupus erythematosus has several symptoms, including:

Common manifestations of lupus include facial butterfly rash, discoid rash, photosensitivity, joint pain or arthritis, mental symptoms, recurrent oral ulcers, hair loss, foamy urine, etc. Patients with mesenteric vasculitis as the initial symptom mainly complain of abdominal pain and bloating. If the hematological system is the initial symptom, the main complaint is usually fatigue. If the patient presents with a seizure as the initial symptom, the main manifestation is limb convulsions. The heterogeneity of lupus is strong, and different patients can exhibit completely different clinical manifestations.

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Written by Zhang Lin
Rheumatology and Immunology Nephrology
1min home-news-image

How is lupus treated?

The treatment of lupus erythematosus mainly involves the following aspects: Firstly, mild patients can be treated with antimalarial drugs, such as chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine, thalidomide, and low-dose corticosteroids; moderate active patients can receive individualized treatment with corticosteroids, and immunosuppressants may be used when necessary; for severe patients, corticosteroids are the preferred treatment, combined with immunosuppressants such as cyclophosphamide. Secondly, for lupus crisis patients, treatment can involve immunoglobulin, high-dose corticosteroid pulse therapy. Thirdly, biologics, such as anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies, plasmapheresis, and autologous stem cell transplantation, are also used clinically. Medication for treating lupus erythematosus should be used under the guidance of a doctor, and self-medication should be avoided to prevent serious consequences.