Nursing Assessment, Management and Treatment of Autoimmune Diseases
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which produce autoantibodies. Autoantibodies cause tissue damage and their suppression is the reason they are prescribed to treat lupus. Belimumab is used to treat lupus that does not involve the kidneys and has not responded to other interventions. ● Rituximab (Rituxan) : Rituximab is a monoclonal antibody that reduces lymphatic activity. It is occasionally used to treat lupus that has not responded to other types of treatments. Some complementary treatments for lu- pus include the following (Cleveland Clin- ic, 2021): ● Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) : conventional treatment, may help reduce the occurrence of flares of lupus. DHEA may cause acne in women. ● Fish oil : Fish oil supplements that contain omega-3 fatty acids may have some beneficial effects. Research is underway to identify specific effects and how these effects occur. Side effects of fish oil supplements include nausea, belching, and a “fishy” taste. ● Acupuncture : Acupuncture may help to ease the muscle pain that is associated with lupus. Nursing interventions Patients may have a difficult time ad - justing to a disease that is a life-long problem. Nurses should assess the ef- fectiveness of patients’ support systems, which are critical to the health and well- ness of a patient with lupus (Mayo Clinic, 2021a; Rebar et al., 2019) Feelings of helplessness, anger, fear, and frustration are common in patients who have lupus. They are at risk of mental Supplements that contain this hormone, in conjunction with
health problems such as depression, anxi- ety, and low self-esteem. Patients’ mental health should be monitored and referrals made to mental health professionals as needed (Mayo Clinic, 2021a). Nurses are usually the members of the healthcare team who provide medica- tion education to patients and families. Patients and families must demonstrate knowledge of what medications have been prescribed, route, dose, side ef- fects, and what to do if side effects occur (Rebar et al., 2019). Patients and families should learn all they can about their disease and how to monitor their signs and symptoms. Reg- ular appointments with their healthcare providers are essential for ongoing mon- itoring and treatment adjustments (Rebar et al., 2019). Multiple sclerosis (MS) Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an im - mune-mediated disease in which an ab- normal immune system response is di- rected against the central nervous system (CNS; National Multiple Sclerosis Society [MS], 2020a). MS is characterized by a progressive demyelination of the white matter of the brain and spinal cord, which can lead to widespread neurological dys- function (Rebar et al., 2019). An estimated 2.8 million people throughout the world live with MS. Prev - alence of the disease has increased in every region of the world since 2013.The mean age at diagnosis is 32 years of age. Females are twice as likely to live with MS compared to males (Walton et al., 2020). In the US, results from a recent study funded by the National MS Society con - firmed that nearly one million people are living with the disease. This is double the
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