Dear Dr Garner,
I am a big fan of Lady Gaga. Recently she was told she has lupus. I am concerned, as my mother also has Lupus. How long can people with lupus live? Is there any cure or treatment? Is it contagious? Is the rash contagious?
Big Fan of Lady Gaga, in Greenpoint

Dear Big Fan,
The hardest part I had with your question is finding out who Lady Gaga is.
It turns out she is a popular singer, who can be at times, to say the least, strange. While, I might not agree with everything she does, I think it is a good time to review the disease which your mom and so many others have.
Lupus was first recognized in the 1700’s and was thought to be caused by the bite of a wolf. This was because the rash looked like the bite of a wolf (I guess wolf bites were more common back then). The rash, in addition to looking like a wolf bite, also has a “butterfly” shape that occurs on the face and across the bridge of the nose.

The rash is not contagious, nor is the disease itself. You cannot contract the disease from someone who has lupus, any more than you could catch high blood pressure from someone.
The disease occurs because the body’s immune system becomes hyperactive. It is known as an autoimmune disease, which means that the body actually attacks different parts of itself, because of the faulty immune system. If it happens to the hips, you will get arthritis, if it happens to the kidneys, you will get renal failure.
As time goes by, the body may attack more and more of itself, and can lead to severe disease. In some cases the disease hardly ever flares up and people live normal lives.
About 1.5 million Americans have lupus. In fact, more Americans have lupus, than AIDS, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, or cystic fibrosis.
Ninety percent of those diagnosed with lupus are women. Most are between the ages of 15 and 44.
African American women are three times more likely to get lupus than white women. While the term “lupus” is used as a broad term, there are several types of lupus.
Some people may have an initial flare up and then not have another episode for 10 – 20 years. There is no way of predicting when it is going to flare up, but a good way to keep the flare up away is to keep yourself in good health, and avoid stress, and activities such as smoking.
It is important to get plenty of rest and exercise.
This will not guarantee that flare ups will not occur, but will give you a healthier life and a good chance to reduce frequent flare ups that many experience.
The disease can vary from a mild rash on the face, to more severe disease that can kill the kidneys, heart or lungs, or joints…
Fever may occur from time to time without any obvious infection.
Patients may experience extreme fatigue, and occasional depression. Hair loss may occur.
No two cases are alike. The treatment varies depending on the symptoms and needs of the patient.

The disease is usually treated by a specialist known as a rheumatologist who specializes in treating disease that affects the joint and muscles.

*Reprinted with permission of The Tablet