This disease is actually gender-specific? Come and see what's going on!

There is a disease in which the male-to-female ratio is as high as 1:10. It can not only cause skin damage but also affect various systems throughout the body, such as joints, muscles, heart, lungs, kidneys, and central nervous system.

It is systemic lupus erythematosus! Only 1 in 10 patients is male.

Systemic lupus erythematosus is more common in young women, especially those of childbearing age. The first onset of systemic lupus erythematosus before puberty and after menopause is rare.

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a common autoimmune disease with a strong genetic background. It is prone to disease under the influence of elevated female hormones (such as pregnancy), ultraviolet radiation, chemical pollution, infection, etc. The damage of lupus can be mild or severe, usually alternating between flare-ups and remission periods, with remission being more common. Because lupus has a variety of clinical symptoms, it not only affects the skin and joints, but also causes damage to important organs, resulting in lupus nephritis and lupus encephalopathy. Therefore, it is often easily confused with other diseases, causing patients to seek treatment in multiple specialists.

Systemic lupus erythematosus can affect multiple organ systems throughout the body. Therefore, the clinical manifestations are varied. When the following symptoms occur, systemic lupus erythematosus should be highly considered, and a comprehensive examination should be performed to make an early diagnosis: unexplained, long-term, irregular fever; rash, especially butterfly-shaped erythema on the face; photosensitivity (referring to facial redness or allergic rash when exposed to sunlight); repeated painless ulcers in the mouth, tongue, cheeks, etc.; obvious hair loss; white or purple fingers, pain, and numbness after being cold (especially immersed in cold water in winter), commonly known as "Raynaud's phenomenon"; petechiae on both hands and feet, depression, ulcers, and necrosis of fingertips and toes; repeated or persistent joint pain, swelling, fever, and stiffness in morning activities; unexplained anemia, leukopenia or thrombocytopenia; unexplained pericardial effusion and pleural effusion (excluding inflammation), etc. Therefore, when the above clinical manifestations occur, immunological examinations should be completed in a timely manner, and systemic lupus erythematosus should be highly considered, especially for women of childbearing age.

Although systemic lupus erythematosus is more common in young women of childbearing age, more and more children, adolescents, men and elderly women after menopause also develop systemic lupus erythematosus. The clinical manifestations of these patients are different from those of typical female lupus nephritis patients. They usually have atypical symptoms such as skin and joints, and their internal organs are relatively severely damaged, which makes them easily missed or misdiagnosed.

With the improvement of medical methods and the application of various immunosuppressive drugs, the condition of most patients with systemic lupus erythematosus can now be controlled. As long as early diagnosis and regular treatment are given, the vast majority of patients can achieve clinical remission, significantly improve their quality of life, and prolong their life expectancy.