Lupus sufferers from across the UK gathered in Glasgow yesterday to hear of developments in the treatment of the disease which affects more than 50,000 people in the country.

Hosted by Strathclyde Lupus Support Group at the city's Marriott Hotel, guest speakers included Dr Elaine Morrison, a consultant physician at the Southern General Hospital, and Dr Max Field, a reader in rheumatology at the University of Glasgow.

Dr Field spoke on the role of the newly appointed lupus nurse at the Southern General, and the importance of the post in supporting those who are diagnosed with the auto immune disease which can attack every part of the body.

Dr Field said: "The nurse plays a key education role - that diagnosis with lupus does not mean that your life is going to fall apart around you."

A growing armoury of drugs has improved treatment for patients with Rituximab showing good results for some sufferers. A single treatment can last for six to 12 months.

Dr Field added: "This is an expensive drug but we can make a good case for the funding for those people who haven't responded to other treatments.

"You can treat lupus fairly well, there are lots of drugs to treat lupus, and there are always new developments coming through."

It is estimated there are 200 lupus sufferers in the Glasgow area alone with experts in the city involved in an international collaborative research programme on the disease.