Lupus, a chronic inflammatory disease, is an autoimmune disease. Autoimmune diseases occur when the body's immune cells mistakenly attack the healthy tissues of the body. Although lupus affects both men and women, the Lupus Foundation of American reports that 90 percent of the approximately 5 million cases of lupus worldwide occur in women. Of the four types of lupus, the most common and the one generally referred to as "lupus" is systemic lupus erythematosus. This form of lupus can affect nearly any part of the body but the most common effects are on the joints, blood and skin.
Joints
Lupus causes arthritis-like symptoms. In fact, lupus is often mistakenly diagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis because it induces inflammation of the joints resulting in pain, stiffness, swelling and tenderness. The joints most affected are those in the extremities, such as the fingers, toes, wrists, elbows and ankles. Unlike rheumatoid arthritis however, lupus does not usually result in permanent joint deformity.
Muscles
Lupus can cause inflammation of the skeletal muscles, which are generally the muscles connected to the bones. This condition, known as myositis, can cause muscles to be so weak that even simple daily tasks such as lifting a brush to your head becomes difficult to impossible.
Blood
Lupus can have many effects on the blood. Anemia, a condition characterized by a lack of oxygen to the tissues, is common in patients with lupus. Lupus interferes with red blood cell production, and because the hemoglobin on the red blood cells carries the oxygen, a lack of oxygen develops.
Thrombocytopenia, or a low blood platelet count, is common in those suffering from lupus. The platelets can be destroyed when the disease activated immune cells attack them.
Lupus can also cause thrombosis, the formation of blood clots in the veins. This can be a serious complication as the blood clots can break free and travel to the brain, resulting in a stroke.
Skin
Two-thirds of all patients with lupus develop some form of skin disease as a result of their lupus, according to the Lupus Foundation of America's facts on skin. One form of lupus called "cutaneous lupus erythematosus" affects only the skin.
The most common skin effect is the formation of disk-shaped lesions that often appear on the face and scalp. Although these lesions do not itch or cause pain, they can form into scar tissue. These lesions are photosensitive, meaning that they worsen when exposed to the ultraviolet rays of the sun.
Raynaud's Phenomenon
Raynaud's phenomenon occurs when the blood vessels supplying blood to the fingers and toes narrow. This decreases the blood flow to these areas, resulting in fingers and toes that feel numb or turn white or blue. Raynaud's phenomenon is triggered by either stress or cold temperatures. Cedars-Sinai indicates that 30 to 40 percent of all patients with lupus will develop Raynaud's phenomenon.
