World Lupus Day, 2007

I'm reading Flannery O'Connor this month (review to come shortly) in honor of tomorrow's fourth annual observance of World Lupus Day. O'Connor died of complications from Systemic Lupus in 1964 at age 39. I've found that most people have heard of lupus, but very few know anything about it. Here are a few facts:

• Lupus is an autoimmune disease that can affect literally every organ group.


• More people in the United states have lupus than have AIDS, cystic fibrosis, multiple sclerosis, sickle-cell anemia and cerebral palsy, combined.


• Most patients are diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 45, and 90% are women.


• Because symptoms are highly variable and often mimic those of other conditions, lupus diagnosis is difficult. Many patients wait 4-8 years after initial symptoms appear before receiving a diagnosis.


• The severity of lupus symptoms varies widely from patient to patient; in severe cases complications can still be fatal.


• There is currently no cure for lupus, and there have been no major treatment advances in the past 50 years.

Learn more at http://www.lupus.org/.