May is the month in which we celebrate World Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Day (or SLE or lupus), a potentially life-threatening autoimmune disease. The cause that triggers the disease is not known. The symptoms, which vary greatly from person to person, include fever, joint and muscle pain, tiredness, skin rashes, mouth ulcers, alopecia, neuro-psychiatric disorders, which can last several weeks. The target organs are primarily represented by skin, joints and kidneys.
An estimated 5 million people have lupus worldwide. 90% are women who present the first symptoms of the disease between the ages of 15 and 45, with persistence for their entire life. In Italy the prevalence is 40-50 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
There is currently no therapy that can lead to recovery, but early diagnosis and some therapies that act on the symptoms and mechanisms of the disease can allow control. In Italy the diagnostic delay is approximately 20 months, attributable to the complexity of the symptoms, a lack of knowledge about the disease on the part of doctors and the population, and the limited presence of specialist clinical structures. A non-pharmacological approach is indicated to patients in addition to drugs, with interventions on lifestyle and education about the disease to improve quality of life and adherence to therapy.
