Selena Gomez and a rare autoimmune disease: the doctor told about the singer’s diagnosis

Selena Gomez has been living with a diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus for more than 10 years. The singer and actress spoke candidly about her experience living and battling this serious disease, from kidney transplants and chemotherapy to how it has affected her mental health.

Selena Gomez suffers from a rare autoimmune disease. How is she battling it and what are doctors saying about her diagnosis?

Many criticized the star for being overweight, not knowing that it was due to fluid retention as a result of the treatment. When the star was undergoing chemotherapy in a rehab center, rumors of her addiction to psychotropic substances began to circulate. At that time, Selena’s diagnosis was not yet known to the public.

In 2017, Selena Gomez underwent a kidney transplant. The organ was donated by American actress Francia Raisa.

Now the singer and actress is openly talking about her diagnosis. She is using her social media to raise people’s awareness about systemic lupus erythematosus.

MD, professor, expert at Manor Medical Center (Israel)

“Selena Gomez has undergone more than one course of treatment for lupus and is now in remission of the disease, but will forever remain under the close control of doctors. The fact is that the disease can return and it is deadly and life-threatening.”

What is systemic lupus erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks its own tissues, causing extensive inflammation and tissue damage in the affected organs. More than 90% of cases of SLE occur in women, and quite often the disease begins in childbearing age.

A single exact cause of the disease has not yet been identified.

Systemic lupus erythematosus can affect almost any organ system, but, as a rule, it affects the skin, joints, kidneys, blood cells and nervous system. Its manifestations and course are quite varied, ranging from sluggish to lightning-fast, leading to rapid death.

Symptoms of lupus erythematosus

The classic picture of SLE is a triad of fever, joint pain and rash. Such symptoms in women of childbearing age should alert any physician and direct the search toward a diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus.

Patients may experience any of the following manifestations:

1. General symptoms (fatigue, weakness, fever, weight changes toward weight loss).
2. Musculoskeletal symptoms (joint pain, impaired joint mobility and swelling, myalgia, severe arthritis, avascular necrosis of tissues).
3. Dermatological symptoms (malar rash, similar to a red butterfly on the face, photosensitization of the skin – hypersensitivity to the action of ultraviolet radiation).
4. Renal failure (acute or chronic renal failure, acute nephritis).
5. Neuropsychiatric (seizures, psychosis).
6. Pulmonary (pleurisy, pleural effusion, pneumonitis, pulmonary hypertension, interstitial lung disease).
7. Gastrointestinal (nausea, increased gas, abdominal pain).
8. Cardiac (pericarditis, myocarditis).
9. Hematologic (e.g. cytopenias such as leukopenia, lymphopenia, anemia, or thrombocytopenia).

The diagnosis of SLE is based on a combination of clinical and laboratory findings. Knowledge of diagnostic criteria helps clinicians recognize SLE and classify this complex disease based on the pattern of manifestations in target organs.

Risk factors

Results of systematic reviews have shown that the following factors influence the risk of developing systemic lupus erythematosus:

• Various diseases (endometriosis, atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, periodontitis and celiac disease);
• lifestyle (smoking, alcohol consumption, vaccinations);
• genetic features of the body;
• micronutrient deficiencies (selenium, iron);
• deficiency of cytokines (they serve as a link between innate and acquired immunity);
• disturbances in the intestinal microbiome system.

All of these factors have definitely proven to be important in the development of SLE, which is why it is so important to get them under control, which may help prevent the disease from developing.

What are the dangers of systemic lupus erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus affects the functioning of all body systems.

Kidneys. Lupus can cause serious damage to the organ, and kidney failure is one of the leading causes of death in people with lupus.

Brain and central nervous system. If the brain is affected by lupus, a person may experience dizziness, headaches, behavioral changes, vision problems, and even strokes or seizures. Patients also report memory problems and difficulty expressing their thoughts.

Blood and blood vessels. Lupus can lead to blood problems: it is a decrease in the number of red blood cells and the development of anemia, a decrease in the number of white blood cells and platelets and an increased risk of bleeding or any infections. The disease can also cause inflammation of blood vessels.

Lungs. The presence of lupus increases the chance of developing inflammation of the bronchial tree. Pulmonary bleeding and pneumonia are possible.

Heart. Lupus can cause inflammation of the heart muscle, myocarditis, arteries or heart lining with the development of pericarditis, which disrupts heart function and is a life-threatening complication. The risk of cardiovascular disease and myocardial infarction is also significantly increased.

The presence of lupus also increases the risk of:

• Infectious diseases and cancer. Since both the disease and its treatment can weaken the immune system;
• bone death. This occurs when the blood supply to the bone deteriorates, often leading to bone fractures and eventual bone destruction;
• pregnancy complications. Women with lupus have an increased risk of miscarriage. Lupus increases the risk of high blood pressure during pregnancy and premature labor.

To reduce the risk of these complications, doctors often recommend delaying pregnancy until the disease is under control for at least six months.

How to treat and whether you can make a full recovery

Unfortunately, there is no single cure for SLE and a complete cure for the disease is impossible. Nevertheless, therapy can lead to a persistent remission, which is important for a quality and long life of a person. When choosing a group of drugs, the doctor is based on the clinical picture of the disease, the degree of severity of inflammation and complications of the disease. Everything is very individualized.

The main goals of treatment are as follows:

• to stop the development of the disease at its first manifestations: the earlier the better and to put the person into remission (when the disease dies down);
• to prevent new exacerbations of the disease;
• correct any symptoms that appear in the person;
• treat complications.

Doctors use several groups of medications to treat SLE. All schemes of their combination and doses are selected strictly individually and are changed during treatment, depending on the response of the body. If the doctor identifies complications of the disease, then additionally prescribe drugs to treat complications.