Fever, fatigue, and malaise are common. This disease is often just called lupus. SLE is a serious, chronic disease, which means it never goes away completely. However, there may be symptom-free periods called remissions. Times when symptoms become more severe are called flareups.
Some people have severe, even fatal lupus, but for most people symptoms can be controlled.
SLE affects mainly young women, particularly black women in the U.S., West Indian women, and Chinese women. The red, thickened, circular patches of rash may be most apparent on uncovered parts of the skin. Lupus is an autoimmune disease. This means that the body's defenses against infection attack the body's own tissue. This causes inflammation.