October is National Lupus Awareness Month, and in honour of that, I would like to give you all some statistics so that we can all have a better understanding of just how large a problem lupus is, and how important it is to help raise awareness of this serious illness.
- More people have lupus than cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis and MS combined.
- It is estimated that almost 2,000,000 Americans have been diagnosed with lupus.
- It is estimated that there are over 30,000 Britons with lupus.
- It is estimated that there are 50,000 Canadians with lupus.
- More than 16,000 Americans develop lupus each year.
- Women are 9 times more likely to develop lupus than men.
- There are over 50 known autoimmune disorders, of which lupus is only one.
- SLE occurs in 1 out of every 600 Caucasian women, 1 out of every 450 Latin women and 1 out of every 200 African-American women.
- The average age of the lupus patient is 15-45 years old.
- An estimated 0.4%-5% of relatives of a lupus patient may develop lupus.
- In the 1950's, only 50% of lupus patients lived 4 years after diagnosis.
- The latest studies show a 76%-90% survival rate 10 years after diagnosis.
- Hippocrates, the founder of medicine as we know it, first described lupus lesions over 2,000 years ago.
- Anywhere from 5%-40% of lupus patients will have a negative ANA (antinuclear antibodies) test result.
- Only 20% of lupus patients test positive for RF (rheumatoid factor).
- Approximately 60-65% of SLE patients will have skin involvement, including malar rashes and disoid lesions.
- Approximately 10% of cutaneous lupus patients will develop SLE.
- Approximately 30% of SLE patients will develop lupus nephritis. (More will have less severe kidney involvement.)
- Approximately 30% of SLE patients will develop heart and/or lung problems such as pleurisy or pericarditis.
- Approximately 50% of SLE patients will have a neuropsychiatric disorder such as seizures, memory loss, headaches, or depression.
- Women with SLE have an increased risk of developing heart disease.
- 40%-60% of SLE patients have some form of photosensitivity.
- 25%-50% of women with SLE miscarry during pregnancy.
- 20% of those who do not miscarry, deliver before 37 weeks.
- 20% of all lupus flares during pregnancy are to women who were previously undiagnosed with SLE.
- 5%-12% of children of lupus patients may develop lupus themselves.
- No long-term studies on lupus survival rates have been done in over a decade.
- No new treatment for lupus has been approved for the US in 40 years.
- There has never been a lupus telethon.
These statistics are not intended to be grim, nor to frighten or intimidate. They are simply facts and figures. The purpose of these statistics is to put into perspective the seriousness and magnitude of lupus' effects, on the world and to the individual.
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