NHS symptoms of condition affecting 50,000 women in the UK including rash and joint pain

Women have been urged to make sure they are aware of the symptoms of a chronic disease that can cause "irreversible" organ damage, as trials take place in the hope of finding a cure.

Lupus is a long-term health condition that is thought to affect around every one in 1,000 people in the UK, with nine out of every 10 cases diagnosed in women. While there are treatments available to help lessen the symptoms of lupus, there is currently no cure - although a trial has raised hopes that this could change in the future, SurreyLive reports.

A revolutionary drug is being trialled in the first Brits in an attempt to find a cure for lupus, with scientists believing it could also be used to treat other autoimmune diseases such multiple sclerosis. Professor Ben Parker, a consultant rheumatologist at Manchester Royal Infirmary, is leading the trial of a new CAR-T to 'correct' the immune system, which until now has only been used for blood cancer.

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He told the publication: "What currently is available [for lupus] are treatments that suppress the immune system, that you have to continually take, that are partially effective in most people, very effective in a few people and ineffective in a substantial number of patients with lupus."

Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease where the immune system is dysfunctional and mistakenly identifies the body's own tissues as foreign invaders, Lupus UK explains. As well as primarily affecting women, people from Black African, Caribbean, and Asian ancestries are also more likely to be diagnosed with lupus.

The charity warns: "Lupus is an uncommon, complex, and poorly understood disease. As such, many healthcare professionals, including GPs, may not recognise the early signs resulting in a delay to referral and diagnosis. During this time, active lupus can cause damage to the kidneys, skin, heart, lungs and/or brain which may be irreversible."

Therefore, it's important to be able to recognise the potential red flags of lupus so that you can raise it with your doctor if you need to, particularly because it is better managed when it is found and treated early. According to the NHS, the key symptoms associated with the condition are:

• Joint and muscle pain

• Extreme tiredness that will not go away no matter how much you rest

• Rashes that usually come on after being in the sun – the rash is often over the nose and cheeks

Almost 90% of lupus patients report experiencing fatigue to the degree that it substantially affected their quality of life, according to Lupus UK. Other symptoms of the condition can include:

• Headaches

• Mouth ulcers

• High temperature

• Hair loss

• Weight loss

• Swollen glands, usually in the neck, armpits or groin

• Depression and anxiety

• Chest or tummy pain

• Changes in the colour of your fingers and toes when you're cold, anxious or stressed (Raynaud's)

More information on lupus can be found on the NHS website.