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of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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    Lupus is a long-term, autoimmune disease that affects many parts of the body. 

    The cause of lupus is not known. You cannot get lupus from someone else. It is likely many factors play a role in a person getting lupus. Researchers are looking for links to factors such as genes, environment, hormones and problems with your immune system. Normally your immune system or disease-fighting cells work to protect you from disease. When you have lupus, your immune system attacks healthy cells and tissues, causing inflammation, pain and damage in parts of the body. 

    • Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
      • most common type
      • may affect joints, skin, kidneys, lungs, heart, blood vessels, nervous system, blood and brain
      • flares and remissions may occur
    • Discoid lupus erthyematosus (DLE)
      • causes a skin rash that doesn't go away
      • subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus
      • causes skin sores on parts of the body exposed to sun

    Anyone can get lupus but common risk factors include:

    • Age: most common in childbearing age between 15 and 45 years of age but can develop in childhood or later in life.
    • Female: risk is much higher in women since 9 out of 10 persons with lupus are women.
    • Race: African-American women are three times more likely to get lupus than Caucasian women. Latino, Asian, and Native American women are at higher risk.

    Common signs include:

    • Painful or swollen joints:
    • Muscle pain;
    • Fever with no known cause;
    • Skin rashes, often butterfly-shaped rash across nose and cheeks;
    • Chest pain when taking a deep breath;
    • Hair loss;
    • Pale or purple fingers or toes;
    • Sensitivity to the sun or light;
    • Anemia (decrease in red blood cells);
    • Mouth ulcers;
    • Swollen glands;
    • Feeling very tired; and
    • Kidney problems with no known cause.

    Lupus is often mistaken for other diseases.

    • May take a long time to diagnose;
    • Develops slowly in most people;
    • Have symptoms that come and go;
    • Have signs that differ from one person to another; and
    • May only affect a few parts of the body.

    Your doctor will decide how to best manage and treat your symptoms.

    • Early detection, treatment, and patient education help to control lupus.
    • Be sure to tell your health care provider right away about any new symptoms.
    • You may need to see special kinds of doctors to help treat the many symptoms of lupus.
    • Your treatment may include using medicines.

    • Learn how to tell if a flare is coming and contact your health care provider right away. Warning signs of a flare may include:
      • Feeling more tired;
      • Pain;
      • Stomach Ache;
      • Rash;
      • Severe headache; and
      • Fever.
    • See your health care provider regularly and go over your treatment plan to make sure it is working for you.
    • Maintain a life balance by setting realistic goals and priorities.
    • Limit the time you spend in the sun and in fluorescent and halogen light.
    • Maintain a healthy diet.
    • Get enough sleep and rest.
    • Include a moderate amount of physical activity when possible
    • Develop a support system made up of people you trust and can go to for help.