For the past year or so there has been much speculation around the physical & mental well being of Lady Gaga.  In a recent interview with Larry King she spoke about her health.

Delayed appearances, cancelled gigs, recently reported calls to emergency services all started to make sense when twenty four year old Gaga – real name Stefani Germanotta - was asked about her health during the interview, & more specifically whether she suffered from the condition ‘lupus’. In response Gaga confirmed that she has been tested for lupus - for which she has a genetic pre-disposition - & is ‘borderline positive’. She also said that she currently displays no symptoms of lupus but has to take care of herself. Lupus is in my family and it is genetic,” Gaga said. “The truth is, I don’t show any signs, any symptoms of lupus. But I have tested borderline positive for the disease. So, as of right now, I do not have it, but I have to take good care of myself.”

Lupus -  systemic lupus erythematosus - is an auto-immune disease, where the body’s immune system malfunctions, and creates antibodies which instead of protecting the body from bacteria & viruses, attacks healthy tissues. In the case of lupus, the immune system attacks the skin, joints, kidneys, and several other organs. The most common symptoms of lupus are joint pain and arthritis, specifically in the fingers, hands, wrists, and knees. It can cause extreme fatigue, anaemia & aching muscles. It can vary widely between one sufferer & another & within the same sufferer at different times.

Gaga had previously revealed in an interview that she had been tested for lupus, also referring to recent health problems. “I have heart palpitations and… things.” She said at one point & then “…but it’s OK. It’s just from fatigue and other things,” When asked when she last called emergency services she replied “The other day. In Tokyo. I was having trouble breathing. I had a little oxygen, then I went on stage. I was OK. But like I say, I don’t want anyone to worry.”

Difficult to diagnose, & often missed, lupus – which predominantly effects females - can mimic other diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis & multiple sclerosis. To make a diagnosis there need to have been a minimum of four out of a possible eleven internationally recognized conditions, although alternative lists are also available. Presumably Gaga meets some of these criteria to make the borderline category. Pre genetic disposition is relevant, & Gaga refers to this. Her aunt is believed to have died from lupus when she was nineteen back in the seventies.

Gaga has talked at different times about her connection to her aunt – Joanne - . She has also expressed her emotions with regard to the deaths of Michael Jackson & Alexander McQueen. Death is a recurrent theme in her performances. She referred to her fascination with death in the recent interview with Larry King: “Some of my fascination with death and the demise of celebrity [comes from] watching people I have admired become destroyed, whether by themselves or by the media.”

Although there is no known cure for lupus & it can be fatal, nowadays with more medical knowledge & treatments available death from the disease is much rarer.