Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)


How to pronounce it:

Lupus - loo·puhs 

Erythematosus - ery-the-mato-sus

AiArthritis defines systemic lupus erythematosus as:


Systemic lupus erythematosus, referred to as SLE or lupus, affects joints, tissues, and multiple organs.

  • Juvenile version is Juvenile SLE (jSLE)

Symptoms

Symptoms of AiArthritis Diseases Regardless of Diagnosis

Common in All AiArthritis Diseases


  • Periods of worsening symptoms are called flares. A flare can last for hours, days, weeks, or months.
  • Condition improves with activity and exercise and worsens with rest.
  • When inflammation is left uncontrolled due to lack of proper treatment, comorbidities can develop. 70% of patients with chronic, lifelong disease will develop comorbidities, including dual or triple diagnoses.
  • Autoimmune diseases run in families. If anyone in your immediate family (parents, siblings) or extended family (aunts, uncles, grandparents) have been diagnosed with ANY autoimmune disease, there is the possibility of genetic predisposition.

“Auto” Symptoms



  • Severe fatigue or exhaustion that may not be helped by caffeine/stimulants and can happen even after a long period of rest.
  • “Brain fog” - or periods of time where thinking gets clouded and it becomes difficult to concentrate.
  • Flu-like symptoms, without having the flu- nausea, muscle weakness, and general malaise.
  • Fever, typically low grade in autoimmune (with exception of juvenile idiopathic arthritis) and higher grade in autoinflammatory (% strongly varies per disease).


Reference: Early Symptoms of AiArthritis Study, AiArthritis, 2019.


View Early Symptoms Study

Inflammatory Arthritis Symptoms

  • Severe stiffness in one or more joints, especially in the morning or after sitting for long periods of time. 
  • Episodes of joint pain that may last for hours, days, or even weeks, that can appear and disappear suddenly. Often described as “jumping pain” into different locations.


Typically the joint pain will coincide with one or more “Auto” symptoms and start and stop suddenly - for no apparent reason (which is called a "flare").  Some people will experience all of the above symptoms, others only a few.  If you have any of the arthritis features, and at least one of the “Auto” features, please consult your physician about a referral to a specialist.


Symptoms Often Associated with Lupus:

  • Low grade fevers
  • Sensitivity to sunlight or fluorescent light, that may cause skin lesions with prolonged exposure
  • Hair loss or thinning
  • Depression and anxiety (this is considered a clinical symptom of lupus, whereas it's considered a potential comorbidity - or separate condition - in other autoimmune arthritis diseases)
  • Raynaud’s phenomenon - Fingers and toes that turn white or blue when exposed to cold or during stressful periods
  • Rashes:
  • Butterfly-shaped rash over the cheeks - referred to as malar rash
  • Red rash with raised round or oval patches - known as discoid rash
  • Rash on skin exposed to the sun
  • Mouth sores
  • Lung or heart inflammation: swelling of the tissue lining the lungs (referred to as pleurisy or pleuritis) or the heart (pericarditis), which can cause chest pain when breathing deeply
  • Kidney problems/Nephritis: blood or protein in the urine, or tests that suggest poor kidney function (when present this is called Lupus Nephritis)
  • Neurologic problems: seizures, strokes or psychosis (a mental health problem), confusion

What fellow patients want you to know

Lupus is most commonly found in females age 15-45 who are of African, Hispanic/Latino, Asian, or Pacific Islander decent.


Lupus can affect many organs and all the symptoms may seem random, but symptom tracking is key in order to give the rheumatologist the most information possible in order to get further testing.


Lupus patients are sensitive to the sun and it is very important to wear sunscreen and protective clothing at all times even when it's not sunny.

Lupus can also be diagnosed alongside other diseases, like Rheumatoid Arthritis (called Rhupus) and Sjogren's Disease.


Macrophage Activation Syndrome (MAS), a potentially fatal complication, can occur in up to 5% of SLE patients. Check out our MAS Page for more information, resources, and patient stories.

More About Lupus

Diagnosing Lupus

There is not a single test available that will diagnose Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) alone, so rheumatologists look at a combination of physical exam, blood tests, and skin or kidney biopsies, along with a family history of autoimmune disease (any autoimmune diagnosis). They will see if the arthritis is in more than one location and if it is chronic (has lasted for more than 6 weeks continuously or has come and go during that time). The doctor will look closely at the joints to see if there is any swelling, redness, or warmth (although this isn't required for diagnosis - it is more to see the severity). Most rheumatologists today will also consider if you are feeling other common symptoms (see Common Symptoms in All AiArthritis Diseases), which can help differentiate from any other diagnosis vs. an AiArthritis disease.


SLE is one of the more difficult diseases to diagnose because no two cases are exactly alike and a lot of the symptoms are exactly like the other AiArthritis diseases. One of the unique signs of SLE is the butterfly rash on the face, but this symptom is not required for diagnosis. The symptoms may be mild or acute. The flares can come at any time or they may remain dormant. The erratic nature of this disease makes diagnosing it extremely difficult at times.


The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) have created a table that assigns points for each test result and symptom. The rheumatologist will likely refer to this table to see if you have enough of the symptoms to diagnose SLE. 


While not all of the AiArthritis diseases require positive blood findings for diagnosis (ref), abnormal blood issues often associated with lupus include:


  • Low blood cell counts: anemia, low white blood cells, or low platelets
  • Positive antinuclear antibodies (ANA) result: antibodies that can cause the body to begin attacking itself that are present in nearly all lupus patients
  • Certain abnormal antibodies: anti-double-strand DNA (called anti-dsDNA), anti-Smith (referred to as anti-Sm), or antiphospholipid antibodies
  • Potential blood clots

Notable Persons with this Disease

  • Selena Gomez, Actress & Singer
  • Nick Cannon, TV Personality & Entertainer
  • Seal, Singer
  • Toni Braxton, Singer
  • Lady Gaga, Singer
  • Carrie Ann Inaba, Dancer/TV Personality

Interesting Facts about this Disease

  • SLE, is also known as the “The Great Imitator” because the symptoms are often "imitating" other diseases.
  • Lupus derives from the Latin word for wolf because doctors described the rashes on the face as resembling a wolf’s bite
  • There used to be a television show called House where there were always mystery diseases/conditions to solve. The default comment was, "It must be lupus." In one episode, it was!

In an effort to ensure this page has the most accurate and up-to-date information, this page is currently awaiting medical review. Some information is subject to change.


Page Last Updated: 2/1/2023

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