It is known as the butterfly rash due to its resemblance to a butterfly. Serositis is the inflammation of the lining around the lungs (pleuritis) or inflammation of the lining around the heart that causes chest pain. This chest pain worsens when the patient takes a deep breath and is known as pericarditis (Lupus Foundation of America, 2011). Lupus also triggers photosensitivity which causes a skin rash after being exposed to light and/or sun. Other symptoms not on the ACR criteria include fever, hair loss, and extreme fatigue. .
Structural Variables: Age.
According to Lupus: The Essential Clinician's Guide, lupus can effect all ages at different rates and varying severity. The guide states that, "children as young as several months have been diagnosed with SLE (systematic lupus erythematosus)" (Wallace, 2008, p.11). Even though young children are diagnosed with lupus, "less than five percent of lupus patients are prepubertal" (Wallace, 2008, p.12). Lupus can affect all age groups, but, it is less commonly found in the younger children. According to the Lupus Foundation of America, "most people will develop lupus between the ages 15 to 44". This statistic illustrates how lupus affects a large population covering many age groups.
Gender.
According to The Lupus Foundation of America, there are an estimated 1.5 million Americans, and at least five million people worldwide who have a form of lupus. Lupus is diagnosed more commonly among females than males. To emphasize the numbers, "nearly ninety percent of persons with SLE are female" (Wallace, 2008, p.12). According to Wallace, most females develop lupus during their reproductive years (p.12). The female to male ratio of those diagnosed with lupus before puberty is 2:1 and after puberty 8:1 (Wallace, 2008, p.12). As it can be seen from these statistics, females are the majority of the lupus diagnosed patients when examining this disease based on gender variables.