What organ does lupus affect the most?

Kidneys About one half of people with lupus experience kidney involvement, and the kidney has become the most extensively studied organ affected by lupus.


What is the main organ affected by lupus?

Inflammation caused by lupus can affect many areas of your body, including your: Kidneys. Lupus can cause serious kidney damage, and kidney failure is one of the leading causes of death among people with lupus. Brain and central nervous system.

Where does lupus hurt the most?

Muscle and joint pain.

You may experience pain and stiffness, with or without swelling. This affects most people with lupus. Common areas for muscle pain and swelling include the neck, thighs, shoulders, and upper arms.


How long does it take lupus to affect organs?

What is the risk of organ damage in lupus? Based on different studies, 10%-30%, 20%-40%, and 30%-50% of SLE patients have demonstrated organ damage at one, five, and 10 years, respectively. In early disease, higher damage index scores are associated with a poor prognosis.

What are the top 5 signs of lupus?

Learn more: Visualize the effects of lupus on the body.
  1. Fatigue. Up to 90% of people with lupus experience some level of fatigue. ...
  2. Unexplained fever. ...
  3. Hair loss. ...
  4. Skin rash or lesions. ...
  5. Pulmonary issues. ...
  6. Kidney inflammation. ...
  7. Painful, swollen joints. ...
  8. Gastrointestinal problems.


Lupus: Your body's immune system attacks your own tissues and organs



What are three triggers of lupus?

Common triggers include:

Overwork and not enough rest. Being out in the sun or having close exposure to fluorescent or halogen light. Infection. Injury.

What labs are abnormal with lupus?

A low white blood cell or platelet count may occur in lupus as well. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate. This blood test determines the rate at which red blood cells settle to the bottom of a tube in an hour. A faster than normal rate may indicate a systemic disease, such as lupus.

What is the final stage of lupus?

Lupus nephritis is one of the most serious complications of lupus. It occurs when SLE causes your immune system to attack your kidneys — specifically, the parts of your kidney that filter your blood for waste products. The kidneys play a vital part in your body's functioning.


What organ does lupus affect first?

Kidneys About one half of people with lupus experience kidney involvement, and the kidney has become the most extensively studied organ affected by lupus. Lungs About 50% of people with SLE will experience lung involvement during the course of their disease.

What is the most serious form of lupus?

What are the different types of lupus? There are several different types of lupus: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is the most common and most serious type of lupus. SLE affects all parts of the body.

What is the number one symptom of lupus?

The most common lupus symptoms (which are the same for men and women) are: Extreme fatigue (feeling tired all the time) Pain or swelling in the joints. Swelling in the hands, feet, or around the eyes.


What should you not do if you have lupus?

5 Things to Avoid if You Have Lupus
  1. (1) Sunlight. People with lupus should avoid the sun, since sunlight can cause rashes and flares. ...
  2. (2) Bactrim and Septra (sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim) Bactrim and Septra are antibiotics that contain sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim. ...
  3. (3) Garlic. ...
  4. (4) Alfalfa Sprouts. ...
  5. (5) Echinacea.


What are the four stages of lupus?

The four different types of lupus
  • Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) Systemic lupus is the most common form of lupus—it's what most people mean when they refer to “lupus.” Systemic lupus can be mild or severe.
  • Cutaneous lupus erythematosus. ...
  • Drug-induced lupus erythematosus. ...
  • Neonatal lupus.


What causes death in lupus patients?

Severe SLE was identified as the most important clinical predictor of poor long-term outcome. Nowadays, SLE patients most frequently die of complications mainly related to drug-side effects including infections and cardiovascular diseases.


Can lupus shut down your organs?

SLE may also affect other organs such as the muscles (myositis), the lung (pneumonitis), and the heart (myocarditis). Overall, SLE symptoms and signs are caused by local inflammation in various organs that if left untreated may result in permanent organ damage.

What are 4 complications of lupus?

Complications from Lupus
  • Skin scarring.
  • Joint deformities.
  • Kidney failure.
  • Stroke.
  • Heart attack.
  • Pregnancy complications.
  • Hip destruction (also called avascular necrosis)
  • Cataracts.


What is the first stage of lupus?

The first symptoms of lupus usually occur somewhere between the teen years and the 30s and may be mild, severe, sporadic, or continual. Common general symptoms include fatigue, fever, and hair loss. Lupus can also affect individual organs and body parts, such as the skin, kidneys, and joints.


What triggers onset of lupus?

Scientists believe it's triggered by a combination of genetic and environmental factors, such as medications, infections and stress. They also believe that there is a link between the female hormone estrogen and lupus.

How fast does lupus progress?

Lupus nephritis tends to develop within 5 years of the appearance of initial lupus symptoms. The condition affects about 40% of people who have SLE and can lead to end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) in 22% of patients over a period of 15 years.

What medications can trigger lupus?

The most common medicines known to cause drug-induced lupus erythematosus are:
  • Isoniazid.
  • Hydralazine.
  • Procainamide.
  • Tumor-necrosis factor (TNF) alpha inhibitors (such as etanercept, infliximab and adalimumab)
  • Minocycline.
  • Quinidine.


How do you know if your lupus is getting worse?

Lupus may get worse very quickly. There is no way to tell when a flare will happen or how bad it will be. When you have a lupus flare, you may have new symptoms as well as symptoms you have had in the past. Learn your body's signs of a flare, such as joint pain, a rash, a fever, or being more tired.

What is lupus pain like?

Lupus can also cause inflammation in the joints, which doctors call “inflammatory arthritis.” It can make your joints hurt and feel stiff, tender, warm, and swollen. Lupus arthritis most often affects joints that are farther from the middle of your body, like your fingers, wrists, elbows, knees, ankles, and toes.

What test confirms you have lupus?

Blood and urine tests.

The antinuclear antibody (ANA) test can show if your immune system is more likely to make the autoantibodies of lupus. Most people with lupus test positive for ANA.


What is the most specific test for lupus?

Anti-Nuclear Antibody (ANA) Test. Anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) are autoantibodies to the nuclei of your cells. 98% of all people with systemic lupus have a positive ANA test, making it the most sensitive diagnostic test for confirming diagnosis of the disease.

What is the gold standard for diagnosing lupus?

The 'gold standard' is the anti-dsDNA antibody test, which has been used as a marker of disease activity by clinicians in SLE for over 35 years.