By Selena Gomez to Lady Gaga: What is lupus, autoimmune disease that celebrities seek to make visible – Mercosur Press
With invisible symptoms and serious consequences, the disease affects millions of people in the world and is more common in women. On World Lupus Day, each public testimony helps to disarm prejudices and generate awareness about a pathology still unknown to many
With the aim of raising awareness, improving access to early diagnoses and promoting research, World Lupus Day It is commemorated every year on May 10. According to the Lupus Foundation of America, More than five million people In the world they suffer from some variant of this disease.
In Argentinaalthough there are no official statistics, the estimated figure between 20,000 and 22,000 patients, according to Infobae The rheumatologist Alejandro Arroyo (MN 119095).
Lupus is a autoimmune and rare diseasewhich causes inflammation, pain and damage in different organs of the body.
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Your diagnosis is usually complex And, therefore, when a public figure decides to share their experience, visibility helps break the ignorance and to discuss structural and social barriers.
The power of public figures to raise awareness
Selena Gomez It was one of the first high profile celebrities to talk about Lupus directly. The actress and singer revealed that, as a result of the renal damage caused by the disease, she needed a kidney transplant. His testimony generated global impact.
In 2019, Kim Kardashian He broke into crying in his reality when receiving a positive result in an antibody test indicating lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.
Although it was not a confirmed diagnosis, the episode attracted mass attention to lupus and its diagnostic tests.
Lady Gaga He also confessed that he suffers from erythematosus, which caused him health complications that forced her to cancel presentations. Other artists like Toni Braxton, Nick Cannon, Paula Abdul, Seal, Ava Duvernay and the comedian Concede They also publicly shared their diagnosis.
Some, such as Michael B. Jordan or Roy Keane, were involved after the diagnosis of nearby relatives.
The actor organized the MBJAM charity event by his mother Donna, diagnosed with Lupus. Keane, meanwhile, narrated how his daughter Caragh saw her life altered when she was diagnosed at age 25.
What is lupus and how it affects the body
According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), lupus is an autoimmune disease: the immune system loses the ability to distinguish strange cells and attacks body tissues. It can affect any organ or system, and its causes are not completely clear. It is suggested that there are genetic, hormonal and environmental factors involved in its appearance.
There are several typesbut the most common is the Systemic lupus erythematosus (Les), which can attack skin, joints, kidneys, lungs, heart or brain. Another more located form is the Lupus erythematosus discoid (LED), which mainly affects the skin.
It is a Uncomping disease (EPOF), with an estimated prevalence between 40 and 100 cases per 100,000 people according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Although it can affect anyone, Lupus impacts more force between 15 and 44 years.
What are the symptoms of lupus
He Extreme fatigue It is one of the symptoms more frequent, present in up to 90% of patients.
The butterfly -shaped eruption on cheeks and nose, pain and inflammation of joints, fever, hair loss and photosensitivity.
According to Arroyo, The diagnosis may take yearssince symptoms are usually confused with other diseases. To this is added the need to carry out multiple clinical and immunological studies.
The treatment includes anti -inflammatory, immunosuppressive and biological drugs. However, these may have adverse effects and return to the patient more vulnerable to infections. At present, the effectiveness of therapies with mesenchymal stem cellsan option for cases resistant to conventional treatments.
Visibility versus ignorance: stigma, access and public health
Despite celebrity testimonies, ignorance persists. According to a survey of the World Lupus Federation (WLF), some people confused lupus with a plant or food. This ignorance favors labor discrimination, social isolation and hinders access to adequate resources.
In Argentina, access to essential medicines is usually unequal. Some social works discuss the chronic character of the disease, which forces many patients to resort to justice.
In addition, the processing of disability certificates implies facing bureaucracy, misinformation and abuse, according to the president of the ARGENTINE LUPUS ASSOCIATION (ALUA), Teresa Cattoni.
Recent findings about lupus
A study published this month in the magazine Nature detected genetic links between lupus and inflammatory intestinal disease (Eii).
Common genes were identified in both paintings, such as ELF1, CD226 and JAK2, which opens new ways to understand their origin and design better treatments.
On the other hand, a report from the American Heart Association revealed that Women with Lupus They have a double risk of death due to cardiovascular diseases compared to men. These gender differences are not yet studied enough and demand a differentiated medical approach.
Lupus has no curebut visibility saves lives. The courage of public figures by sharing their diagnosis not only provides medical clarity, but also breaks stigmas, humanizes the disease and pushes society towards greater empathy.
Infobae.com
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