A young female client diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) asks what caused her disease. Which response by the nurse is the most appropriate?

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus or SLE is a chronic inflammatory immune disorder which affects the skin and other body organs. An autoimmune inflammatory response is caused by antibodies to DNA and RNA which result in swelling and pain. SLE is most common in young women associated with it is a strong genetic factor. The major classifications of SLE are: discoid lupus which is limited to the skin, systemic lupus and drug induced lupus.

The exact etiology of SLE is still not known. Etiology of SLE majorly depends on factors such as environmental, genetic, hormonal and human leukocyte antigen gene. Periods of and exacerbation

remission is a characteristic of SLE.

Pathophysiology of the autoantibodies of SLE forms immune complexes by reaction with their corresponding antigen. These are deposited in the lymphatic vessels, connective tissues of blood vessels and other tissues thus creating inflammatory responses leading to local tissue damage.

Several active androgens which inhibit antibody responses SLE have reduced levels in women with SLE. The risk predominates women over the men and affects the child bearing age of Asians, African American and Hispanics. The most common form of lupus is Systemic lupus and involves serious complications like pulmonary hypertension, lupus nephritis which affects the body's ability to filter waste from the blood, headaches, and strokes, inflammation of the nervous system and brain etc.

The white blood cell (WBC) count of a client with SLE shows a shift to the left. The highest priority nursing diagnosis for the nurse caring is Ineffective Protection.

SLE is disorder of immune function and is extremely variable also there is no way to predict its progression. Clinical symptoms might worsen during pregnancy but they are not confined to pregnancy or the perinatal period. All the nucleated cells do not get destroyed by the antinuclear antibodies. Antibody binding to cellular estrogen receptors does not cause the inflammation in SLE.