Lupus complications that are possible and should not be underestimated

Have you heard about lupus before? Lupus is an autoimmune rheumatic disease with a difficult initial diagnosis. This is because the symptoms of lupus appear so mild at first that they are often underestimated. Yet if it continues without treatment, it does not rule out the possibility that lupus can cause various complications in the future.

Have you known about the complications that can arise due to lupus? Here I present more complete information.

Possible complications of lupus

Like other autoimmune diseases, lupus is a disease that can occur when immune cells attack healthy cells and tissues.

Whereas it should be, immune cells are responsible for protecting cells and body tissues as well as fighting infection with viruses, bacteria and other foreign objects.

Symptoms of lupus themselves usually vary from person to person who experiences it. That is why lupus is called a thousand faces disease.

Although mild at first, lupus symptoms that are not treated properly can lead to the appearance of various complications. Some of the complications of lupus are as follows:

1. Gastrointestinal disorders

About 50% of lupus patients can experience gastrointestinal disorders in a mild or severe degree. In fact, although it is relatively rare, about 10% of the first symptoms of lupus can be characterized by gastrointestinal disorders.

To be clearer, the complications of lupus in the gastrointestinal tract are:

Oral cavity

Approximately 50 percent of the complications of lupus can cause ulcers or sores resembling canker sores which are generally painless.

Apart from the presence of canker sores, the oral cavity of people with lupus (ODAPUS) can also be very dry. This condition is known as secondary Sjogren's syndrome.

Esophagus (esophagus) and stomach

Not a few ODAPUS complain of chest pain, burning in the chest (heartburn), to pain when swallowing food and drinks.

Swallowing disorders include complications of lupus due to problems in the movement of the muscles of the esophagus and a lack of saliva production.

ODAPUS can also experience an increase in stomach acid into the esophagus accompanied by heartburn, also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Fluid in the abdominal cavity (ascites)

People with lupus (ODAPUS) usually complain of a buildup of fluid in the abdominal cavity (ascites).

Some of this fluid comes from the thin membrane in the abdominal cavity. This condition is quite common in people with lupus.

Pancreas

Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) can be experienced by approximately 0.9-4.2% of people with HIV. The cause of inflammation of the pancreas in lupus patients can be caused by active lupus, high triglyceride levels, gallstones, drinking alcohol, and viral infections.

ODAPUS who have pancreas usually complain of severe abdominal pain that can be felt to the back. Other symptoms can also include nausea, vomiting and fever.

Inflammation of the pancreas in lupus patients is very dangerous and can be fatal if diagnosed late. That is why, this condition should be treated immediately and should not be underestimated.

Heart

Liver complications in people with lupus usually include autoimmune hepatitis and elevated liver enzymes AST and ALT.

High AST and ALT levels can indicate impaired liver function, but they often have no symptoms and go away on their own.

While symptoms of autoimmune hepatitis can include nausea, vomiting, fever, and joint pain.

2. Lung disorders

Apart from having an impact on the gastrointestinal tract, complications of lupus can also attack the lungs as a respiratory organ.

Well, here's an explanation of the complications of lupus in the lungs:

Pleurisy and pleural effusion

Pleuritis is a condition caused by inflammation of the lining of the lung. Meanwhile, pelvic effusion itself is the presence of excess fluid in the cavity between the two pleural layers.

This condition can be experienced in about 34% of people with lupus.

Acute lupus pneumonitis

Pneumonitis is not a common complication of lupus. This condition is rare and the symptoms often appear suddenly.

In contrast to pneumonitis, which is usually caused by bacteria and fungi, pneumonitis as a complication of lupus is due to the disease itself.

This pneumonitis makes the presence of spots and fluid buildup in the lungs of people with lupus (ODAPUS) to experience spotting.

Pulmonary artery hypertension

Slightly different from some of the previous complications of lupus, the incidence of pulmonary hypertension in lupus is quite frequent, around 9.3-14 percent.

Pulmonary artery hypertension is another complication that occurs with lupus. This condition is characterized by increased blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries.

The pulmonary arteries are the large blood vessels that carry oxygen from the blood to the lungs. Pulmonary hypertension can cause only a small amount of blood to enter the lungs.

This decreases the oxygen in the bloodstream to the lungs so that its supply to the body cannot be fulfilled properly.

Pulmonary embolism

Pulmonary embolism is a condition of a blockage in the pulmonary artery. In fact, people with lupus (ODAPUS) have a 20 times higher risk of developing pulmonary embolism than the general population.

Especially because approximately 30-50% of people with lupus have phospholipid antibodies. Phospholipid antibodies are another common disease accompanying lupus.

The presence of phospholipid antibodies can further increase the risk of PLHIV to experience pulmonary embolism.

Can complications of lupus be treated?

If you are an ODAPUS, it is better not to ignore gastrointestinal and respiratory disorders.

Take for example complaints in the form of nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, coughing, tightness, chest pain, and bloody bowel movements. Likewise, when you experience symptoms related to respiratory problems.

Immediately convey the complaints you experience to the doctor. Early diagnosis and providing proper treatment are expected to help prevent complications and damage to body organs due to lupus.

Treatment for these complications can later be adjusted according to the cause and severity of the disease.

This is because complications due to lupus can occur because someone has already experienced lupus. Therefore, the main treatment is still done by dealing with the lupus condition itself.

Furthermore, the complications that occur are expected to be improved along with the appropriate treatment.

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