Lupus (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus - SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease. The disease can affect virtually any system in the body. It’s basically like the person being allergic to their own body. The immune system which should kick in and help a person fight off physical problems instead kicks in (for no apparent reason) and attacks healthy body tissues including joints in particular but also other parts of the body as well as major organs in some cases.
Some of the parts of the body which can be impacted by lupus attacks (or flares) include:
Joints
Muscles
Skin
Kidneys
Heart
Lungs
Blood Vessels
Blood Forming Organs
Nervous System
Brain
Though lupus is occasionally compared to AIDS, it’s actually the reverse of that disease. Immune systems in AIDS patients are not kicking in while with lupus, the immune system is stuck in high gear and the system intended to heal ends up attacking healthy body tissues. Both diseases involve immune system problems, but at different ends of the spectrum. Also, while AIDS is transmittable, lupus is not. You can't contract lupus from someone suffering with the disease.
Though advances are being made in the treatment of HIV/AIDS, most patients do die eventually of problems associated with having HIV/AIDS. Lupus patients generally live a normal lifespan though some patients with major organ involvement do die from lupus related attacks. Older literature suggests that lupus is a virtual death sentence, but that definitely is not the case. Most lupus patients have ups and downs, but most learn to control and deal with the disease. Seek out recent data on lupus. The gloomy materials from generations back do not reflect the reality today.
If lupus can be compared to another disease, it would be multiple sclerosis (MS) which is a more commonly known disease. The two diseases are considered “sister” conditions. While MS attacks muscles (and other body systems), lupus attacks joints (and other body systems).
When Montel Williams shared his story about having MS on his television talk show, that increased awareness. Though lupus did not and has not been spotlighted in the same way yet, research in autoimmune conditions in general does benefit those suffering from other conditions like lupus.