What is Lupus?

Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes the body to attack its own healthy tissues and organs. It can affect any part of the body causing widespread pain and inflammation. Common symptoms include crippling fatigue, fever and joint pain. Lupus affects each patient differently and may go into periods of flares and remissions.

More people have lupus than cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, sickle-cell anemia, and cystic fibrosis combined. It is estimated that between 322,000 and 1.5 million people in the United States suffer from this cruel disease.

There is no cure for lupus. Symptoms may be controlled with certain medication and treatment.

Types of Lupus

  • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)

    SLE is the most common type of lupus. Systemic lupus is so-named because it affects many different organ systems in the body. It is usually more severe than discoid lupus and can affect almost any organ in the body. It causes chronic inflammation, especially of the kidneys, joints, skin, and in some patients it may affect the lungs, heart, blood, and nervous system. Sometimes patients living with lupus may develop a malar rash, often referred to as a butterfly rash. This rash extends from one cheek over the nose to the other cheek.

  • Discoid Lupus (common form of Cutaneous Lupus)

    Discoid lupus is a form of lupus that only affects the skin. It causes rashes, and is characterized by persistent flushing of the cheeks or disk-like lesions that appear on the face, neck, scalp and other areas. The rash is usually scaly red, not itchy, and may be exacerbated by exposure to UV sunlight or fluorescent lights. If the rash is not adequately treated, permanent scars may develop. Although this type of lupus does not affect any of the internal body organs, about 1 in 10 people living with discoid lupus will develop systemic lupus.

  • Drug-Induced Lupus

    Drug-Induced Lupus (DIL) may occur after taking certain prescription medications. It usually resolves within 6 months after discontinuing the causative medication. This type of lupus rarely occurs, and only about 4% of individuals who develop DIL will have lupus antibodies. The most common medications that cause DIL include hydralazine, procainamide, quinidine, isoniazid, and phenytoin.

  • Neonatal Lupus

    Neonatal lupus is a rare autoimmune disorder that affects infants at birth. It is developed from mothers who have lupus and/or anti-Ro/SSA antibodies. Infants will often develop a red rash, may develop liver problems and low blood platelets. Some infants also develop a serious heart condition known as congenital heart block. The symptoms associated with neonatal lupus, with the exception of congenital heart block, usually resolve themselves within the first several months of life.

Diagnosing Lupus

For a lupus diagnosis, a physician or a rheumatologist will identify current symptoms, conduct blood tests, and review your medical or family history. A thorough medical examination is essential for an accurate diagnosis because there is no single laboratory test that can diagnose lupus.

Possible Tests & ACR Criteria

  • Complete blood counts (CBC)

  • Blood tests for inflammatory markers

  • Urine samples to be analyzed for protein content

  • Malar rash and/or Discoid rash

  • Photosensitivity

  • Oral ulcers

  • Arthritis

  • Serositis

  • Renal disorder

  • Neurological disorder (seizures or psychosis)

  • Hematologic disorder

  • Immunologic disorder (autoantibodies such as anti-DNA)

  • Abnormal ANA titer

Co-Occurring Conditions

  • Overlapping Auto-Immune Diseases

    Sjogren’s syndrome

    Antiphospholipid syndrome

    Scleroderma

    Fibromyalgia

    Raynaud’s disease

    Thyroid problems

    Celiac’s disease

  • Associated Conditions

    Lupus nephritis

    Pericarditis

    Myocarditis

    Pleuritis

    Vasculitis

    Central Nervous System conditions

    Osteonecrosis

    Gastrointestinal issues

Lupus Facts

  • Lupus is an extremely complex chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the patient’s own healthy tissue affecting virtually any organ system of the body; including the skin, joints, kidney, brain, heart, lungs, blood and blood vessels.  

  • There is no known cause or cure for lupus.

  • It is estimated there are at least 322,000 Americans who have been diagnosed with lupus and recent independent surveys have suggested the number could be as high as 1.5 million.

  • Lupus affects women 9 times more often than men, with eighty percent of new cases developing between the ages of 15 and 44 during childbearing years or prime of life.

  • Ninety percent of those affected are women; however, men and children are also diagnosed with lupus.

  • Lupus is a leading cause of kidney disease, stroke and premature cardiovascular disease in young women.

  • Lupus disproportionately affects women of color in the United States; it is 2 to 3 times more common among African-Americans, Hispanics and Latinos, Asians, and Native Americans.

  • Lupus is an unpredictable condition in which symptoms come and go (flares) and complications can suddenly arise.

  • No single test exists to diagnose lupus, resulting in many patients suffering more serious complications before an official diagnosis. 

  • Fatigue is the most prevalent and incapacitating symptom experienced by about 85 to 92% of people with lupus, resulting in decreased physical and mental function, and 50% of patients rated it as the most disabling symptom.

  • Lupus profoundly disrupts working lives as disease onset typically coincides with critical years for education and career advancement.

  • Thirty-three percent of people with lupus in the US are on work disability. 

  • The average out-of-pocket costs (after insurance) for those living with lupus can total $30,000 or more per year.

  • The annual per patient cost to employers, including medical care, work absence and disability, is higher than for other chronic diseases such as diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and heart disease.

References: Lupus and Allied Diseases Association, Inc.; Larry Silverman, M.D. F.A.C.P.; National Institute of Health; National Institute of Arthritis & Musculoskeletal & Skin Diseases; Johns Hopkins Lupus Center; Mayo Clinic; Lupus Research Institute

A lupus diagnosis can be devastating and life changing. The MI Lupus Foundation exists to help and improve the quality of life for those living with lupus through support, education and research with the goal of finding a cure.