The new lupus treatment being hailed as 'groundbreaking'
A new "groundbreaking" treatment for lupus has given doctors and patients hope that it could end the need for lifelong medication.
Three patients have received CAR T-cell therapy for the most serious form of lupus, which can affect many parts of the body including internal organs, joints and skin, and puts people at risk of life-threatening complications.
The new treatment works by genetically modifying a person's cells to fight the disease. It has been used on patients in Germany, who are now in remission and do not need to take lupus medication.
It is believed that around five million people around the world have the chronic condition, with an estimated 50,000 in the UK, according to Lupus UK. It disproportionately affects women and people of Black African, Caribbean and Asian ethnicities.
Patients usually have to take medication for the rest of their lives in order to manage the condition, including anti-inflammatory medicines like ibuprofen, steroid tablets, and hydroxychloroquine.
Here's everything you need to know about lupus:
What is lupus?
Lupus (more properly known as Systemic Lupus Erythematosus) is an autoimmune disease.
"That means that, the immune system, which is meant to fight infections, starts to attack the body's own tissues," explains Dr Ed Vital, specialist lupus clinician and researcher at Leeds University.
"This results in white cells in the blood causing inflammation in different organs."
According to Dr Adam Friedmann, Consultant Dermatologist at The Harley Street Dermatology Clinic lupus can affect the whole body (systemic lupus) or, far more commonly, just the skin.
"It is autoimmune in nature i.e. the body's immune system causes inflammation and damage in the skin and in systemic lupus, in the joints, muscles and other organs," he explains.
What are the symptoms of the condition?
Dr Arun Thiyagarajan, Medical Director UK Health Clinics, from Bupa UK says the most common symptoms associated with the condition are fatigue, swollen or painful joints and skin rashes or irritation, affecting the hands, wrist or face.
"Other less common symptoms include: fever, headaches or migraines, swollen glands, stomach pains, sensitivity to light causing skin rashes, unexplained weight loss and poor blood circulation in your fingers and toes," he adds.
Watch: Halsey is suffering from Lupus and a rare lymphoproliferative disorder
What causes it?
No one really knows why a person may suffer from it, but it is more common in women, and in people with a family history of auto-immune diseases.
"Although it’s not clear exactly what causes lupus, experts have agreed that there are multiple factors at play, including genetics," explains Dr Thiyagarajan.
"It’s also thought that hormones can influence the development of lupus, as it’s most common in women that are of child bearing age," he adds.
"Lupus isn’t contagious, so it can’t be passed from one person to another. The condition occurs when antibodies - which are usually part of the body’s natural defences - mistakenly attack healthy cells or organs."
How is lupus treated?
According to Dr Vital once lupus has begun, as a rule it is a lifelong illness.
"Although some of the symptoms can be severe, fortunately treatments are getting better all the time. In most cases we are able to control the symptoms well with the right drugs," he explains.
"Your doctor can test your blood for lupus and prescribe medications that can help manage the condition’s symptoms," Dr Thiyagarajan adds.
"Anti-inflammatories or medicines that can help to suppress your immune system are known to help lessen the day-to-day impact of lupus."
However, the new treatment offers some hope that patients may not have to continue taking medication for lupus for the rest of their lives. CAR T-cell therapy is usually used in cancer patients, but doctors hope it can treat other diseases, including lupus.
Dr Eleni Tholouli, director of the adult stem cell transplant unit at Manchester Royal Infirmary, told The Guardian: "It is an incredibly exciting time to now offer this mode of treatment to lupus patients through this clinical trial."
"We hope [it] will provide positive outcomes and revolutionise treatment options for patients with the disease."
The treatment requires patients to stay in the hospital for 10 days. Possible side effects includes their immune system becoming very vulnerable to infection for several weeks, or another condition that causes the immune system to overreact.
However, patients with the most severe form of lupus could experience organ failure, and may decide the risks associated with the treatment are worth it.
Read more about autoimmune disease:
What to know about autoimmune diseases as Nadiya Hussain gives health update (Yahoo Life UK, 5-min read)
Former fitness instructor ‘beyond excited’ to receive lupus therapy in UK first (PA Media, 4-min read)
Nightmares could be an early warning sign of an autoimmune disease flare-up – new study (The Conversation, 4-min read)
