News & Events

In response to the theme for this year, “Make Lupus Visible”, Kauvery Hospital is raising public awareness about the diagnosis of Lupus and about symptoms and early diagnosis of Autoimmune Diseases

• Lupus is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks one’s organs and tissues
• The condition is more prevalent among younger women
• A woman aged 32, was recently treated for SLE (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus) at Kauvery Main Hospital, Chennai

Chennai, 18th May, 2023 – Kauvery Main Hospital, Alwarpet, a leading multi-specialty hospital in Chennai, has successfully treated a woman aged 32 with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), a chronic autoimmune disease that can affect any part of the body.

The woman presented to the hospital with varied symptoms including fever, cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, generalized swelling, and high blood pressure. She also had low hemoglobin, high levels of protein in her urine, acute kidney failure, and a urinary tract infection with sepsis. She was not on regular treatment for SLE.

After admission, she developed an episode of seizure. An MRI evaluation showed that she had CNS vasculitis, which is an inflammation of the blood vessels in the brain, and can lead to stroke-like symptoms, and a complication known as PRES (Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome), which is swelling of the brain. The patient’s heart function was also affected, leading to poor pumping of the heart.

She was started on high-dose steroids and antibiotics. Additionally, she was given immunosuppressants to keep the SLE under control; but this was a challenge as it can worsen her existing infection. She was carefully monitored for her infections and the medications were prescribed accordingly.

Gradually, she recovered, with improvement in her cardiac, renal, and brain function. She is currently taking oral medications and requires regular follow-up and long-term treatment.

Dr. Sham Santhanam, Consultant Rheumatologist at Kauvery Hospital says: “SLE is a chronic autoimmune disease that can cause inflammation and pain throughout the body. Patients with SLE can present with multiple clinical features, including stroke-like manifestations and heart attack-like symptoms. Unfortunately, many people neglect the symptoms or are misdiagnosed due to a lack of awareness. However, most of these features are reversible with appropriate treatment. Patients can lead a normal life of good quality, with certain lifestyle modifications and regular follow-ups. We have treated many young women who were pregnant and diagnosed with SLE and they have also delivered a healthy baby without complications.”

“Conditions like Lupus were not well known in the past but are now being increasingly diagnosed among the Indian Population. Though the cause is multifactorial, advances in treatment and research have given hope to those affected. Timely diagnosis and appropriate intervention can help them to recover. With an expert team of rheumatologists, and state-of-the-art facilities, we are able to diagnose many young people with the condition, and enable them to manage it effectively,” says Dr. Aravindan Selvaraj, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Kauvery Hospital Chennai.