By Caribbean Medical News Staff
Lupus cases are on the rise in Barbados.
So says Dr. Ria Edghill who says that the autoimmune disease is being diagnosed in children as young as four and in adults as old as 70 years old. In addition, Edghill says the disease is 14 more times common in women than in men and is most common in people in their twenties.
She revealed her statistics at the Annual Seminar for Newly Diagnosed Lupus Patients hosted by the Hope Foundation at the Savannah Hotel. The Hope Foundation was founded by Shelley Weir, who is herself living with Lupus disease.
She further outlined that anyone with lupus was at a greater risk for infection and ought to avoid contagious illness particularly gastroenteritis and other illnesses which further compromise a delicate immune system.
In addition, the doctor explained that because some medications further suppress the immune system, not only did those suffering with lupus have to be generally cautious about contracting any infection but be wary of respiratory illness and lung infections avoiding smoking and second-hand smoke while always practising good hygiene.
“In Barbados we do have men who have Lupus and it is not supposed to be something you read in the textbooks and they say it is more common in women, but I have seen at least four male patients who have Lupus. So I guess even if you read something on the internet, I think it is more for the American population than the international population. We do see quite a few cases every year, 20 to 25 new cases every year and the old data from December 31, 2009, it was estimated that there were 226 persons in Barbados with Lupus and by now that number of course I am sure is more than 300 persons who have Lupus in Barbados,” she explained.
