What is Crest syndrome? Kris Aquino's health struggles explored as Filipino TV host shares debilitating details

In a series of Instagram posts, Filipino television host and actress Kristina Bernadette Cojuangco Aquino, professionally known as Kris Aquino, revealed her health struggles with autoimmune diseases and detailed that her condition has gotten more complex. Aquino has been diagnosed with a variety of autoimmune diseases since 2018 and has been in the US for treatment since 2022.

Aquino revealed that she now faced signs of systemic lupus erythematosus and that her Crest Syndrome was in "full active mode." Crest syndrome is an acronym given to the various symptoms of limited systemic sclerosis or scleroderma. The symptoms mentioned in the acronym include calcinosis, Raynaud's phenomenon, esophageal dysmotility, sclerodactyly, and telangiectasia.

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"My Crest Syndrome is now in full active mode": Kris Aquino

Since 2018, Filipino actress Kris Aquino has been struggling with several autoimmune diseases. She battled diseases like Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis, chronic spontaneous urticaria, and crest syndrome. On January 21, she shared three Instagram videos showing and detailing her health struggles.

Kris Aquino detailed that since Thanksgiving, she had lost her appetite, felt "very weak," and experienced daily headaches, dizziness, and "weird" BP fluctuations. She even said that the cold weather did not bother her anymore as her skin from the waist down was always warm.

Kris Aquino further revealed that her weight went down to 92 lbs, and her hemoglobin levels were 8.7. Her doctor told her that if she did not eat any real food with iron content, her heart's health could be in serious trouble. Since the new year, she gained 3 lbs. However, the results from a thorough autoimmune blood panel left her heartbroken. Kris Aquino revealed on Instagram:

"I cried nonstop when I got my blood panel results. My Churg Strauss/EGPA is still being treated, but to add to it my Crest Syndrome is now in full active mode. And I'm already exhibiting many symptoms for another autoimmune connective tissue disease."

Based on her ANA count, high inflammatory numbers, anemia, now constant, elevated blood pressure at night, and the consistent appearance of 'butterfly rash' on her face, she was at the initial stage of SLE, or "What is commonly known as lupus."

According to Medline Plus, Crest syndrome is an acronym that refers to the clinical features seen in patients with limited systemic sclerosis or scleroderma. The C in the acronym stands for calcinosis, or the condition that causes calcium deposits to form under the patient's skin and subcutaneous tissue.

R represents Raynaud's phenomenon, which causes spasms in the blood vessels on the fingers and toes due to decreased blood flow. E stands for esophageal dysmotility, which causes acid reflux and difficulty swallowing food due to the weakening of the lower esophageal canal.

S in the acronym is for sclerodactyly, a condition that causes tightening on the skin of fingers and hands, causing them to bend. Finally, T stands for telangiectasia, caused by dilated blood vessels, leading to red spots or marks on the skin, usually around the face, fingers, or inside the patient's mouth.

Despite having to take baby doses of Rituxan along with steroids that cause an adverse reaction in her body, Kris Aquino still wrote, "My faith is still strong." The 52-year-old concluded:

"We have a merciful and loving God who hears our prayers. Our battle has become more complex but I promised my sons and sisters that I wouldn’t be a wimp. And I'm promising all my friends plus all who continue to pray for me: Bawal pa ring sumuko, tuloy pa rin ang laban,"

According to the Mayo Clinic, lupus is a disease that occurs when the body's tissues are attacked by its own immune system. Selena Gomez, Toni Braxton, and Nick Cannon are some of the few other celebrities who have been open about their struggles with lupus.

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