Patient/caregiver were instructed on the environmental triggers for lupus activation as follows:
- Exposure to UV rays in sunlight can cause sunburns and result in damaged skin tissue. The immune system in individuals predisposed to or with history of lupus can repeatedly attack the damaged portions of the skin, resulting in a lupus cascade.
- Usually the immune system attacks the various bacteria, viruses, and other invading foreign micro-organisms in the surrounding environment that enter one’s body and help prevent serious illness. In individuals with lupus, the immune system not only attacks the infectious organisms, but also mistakenly & repeatedly attacks one’s own body tissues and organs. This can result in severely compromised function of involved organs.
- Exposure to environmental pollutants/toxins, such as, mercury and silica, especially in individuals working in industrial or agricultural settings can contribute to activation of lupus episodes.
- Cigarette smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke can also contribute to lupus activation in some individuals.
- Exposure to environmental factors, such as, sudden severe changes in temperatures and humidity can also trigger an activation of lupus.
