Lupus

FACT SHEET - Lupus National Institutes of Health

Updated October 2010

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Lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus) is a serious and 

potentially fatal disease that mainly affects young women.

The cause of the disease is not known, but it is believed to 

be an autoimmune disease (an illness that occurs when 

the body mistakenly detects its own tissue as foreign and 

attacks itself).The disease often starts between the ages of 

15 and 44. The manifestations of lupus are diverse: it can 

affect many parts of the body, including the joints, skin, 

kidneys, heart, lungs, blood vessels, and brain. 

An estimated 240,000 Americans are diagnosed with 

lupus. People of all races can have the disease; however, 

African American women have a three-times higher 

incidence (number of new cases) than Caucasian women. 

They tend to develop the disease at a younger age than 

Caucasian women and to develop more serious 

complications. Nine times more women than men have 

lupus, and it is also more common in women of Hispanic, 

Asian, and Native American descent. 

Yesterday 

 A significant number of people diagnosed with lupus 

faced the prospect that they would die within 5 years 

of the diagnosis. While patients who were diagnosed 

with lupus faced an uncertain future, they knew that, 

in addition, to the shortened life span, they were quite 

likely to have a significantly compromised quality of 

life.

 Treatments for lupus were of limited effectiveness, 

typically targeting the entire immune system rather 

than the specific elements of the immune system 

involved with the disease course in lupus. Therapies 

were associated with significant and often debilitating 

side effects. 

 Diagnosis of lupus was more difficult because the 

symptoms of lupus are similar to a number of other 

diseases, and sophisticated tools of molecular 

medicine were not yet available. 

Today 

 People who are diagnosed with lupus today have hope 

for a significantly increased life span and improved 

quality of life compared with those 30 years ago. 

 Studies from the NIH Intramural Research Program 

determined that treatment with immunosuppressive 

drugs (cyclophosphamide and prednisone) can 

prevent or delay kidney failure due to nephritis, one of 

the most serious and life-threatening complications of 

lupus. 

 Hydroxychloroquine, an antimalarial medication, is 

also used in the treatment of lupus and other 

autoimmune diseases, and is associated with a 

reduced risk of overall tissue damage. Recent NIHsupported research has shown that lupus patients 

treated with hydroxychloroquine were less likely to 

develop severe kidney disease, had lower disease 

activity, and used less steroid medication. 

 A number of genes associated with lupus risk and 

severity have been discovered. Some are linked to 

Characteristic “butterfly” rash on a lupus 

patient. Photograph courtesy of the 

American College of Rheumatology.
 

FACT SHEET - Lupus National Institutes of Health

Updated October 2010

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patient populations at high risk for lupus, including 

African American and Hispanic individuals. 

 The Office of Women’s Health at the U.S. Department 

of Health and Human Services has partnered with the 

Ad Council, with input from patient advocacy groups 

and federal agencies involved in lupus research and 

treatment, such as the NIH, to produce a lupus 

awareness campaign entitled, “Could I Have Lupus?” 

(http://www.couldihavelupus.gov/) The main message 

of the campaign is that lupus is a life-altering disease 

that primarily affects young women who may be 

experiencing symptoms of lupus but have not been 

diagnosed. 

Tomorrow 

Genetic studies will allow the identification of those at risk 

for lupus so that interventions can be made earlier in the 

disease process. They will also identify molecular 

pathways that cause lupus and its symptoms, which can be 

targeted in the design of new therapies. Recent research 

has already revealed common disease mechanisms among 

different autoimmune diseases, so advances in treatment 

of one condition may be applicable to others. 

 Recent discoveries about the influence of Xchromosome genes on lupus risk may provide future 

explanations for female predominance of the disease. 

 Biological indicator molecules, or “biomarkers,” will 

help to predict who is likely to develop lupus, what 

organ systems are more likely to be targeted, and the 

severity of disease. Identifying lupus patients at 

particular risk for severe disease before serious 

complications arise has implications for early diagnosis 

and treatment. 

 Blood tests that measure biomarkers may be used to 

predict flares of lupus activity and guide individualized 

treatment. Methods to analyze patients’ blood 

samples are already being developed to group 

disease-specific gene expression patterns according to 

disease-causing biological mechanisms. 

 Therapeutics will be designed to diminish or reverse 

immune dysfunction and inflammation. Similar drugs 

that have been approved for other autoimmune 

diseases will be tested for effectiveness in lupus 

patients. 

 The variations in disease course and severity that are 

associated with minority populations, due to genetics, 

environment, or social issues, will be targeted to 

personalize treatments and reduce health disparities. 

 Participation of patients in clinical research is one of 

the best ways to advance new knowledge and 

contribute to the development of new treatments. 

Contact: Contact: NIAMS Information Clearinghouse toll 

free: 877-22-NIAMS (226-4267); email: 

NIAMSInfo@mail.nih.gov

National Institute on Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and 

Skin Diseases (NIAMS): 

www.niams.nih.gov