Lupus - (SLE) Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE, also known as lupus) is an autoimmune illness in which parts of the immune system, which normally protect the body from outside invaders, run amok and attack parts of the body instead.
Although there are several different forms of lupus, the classical lupus patient is usually a young woman with a combination of symptoms such as fever, swollen lymph glands, rashes (particularly butterfly-shaped rashes on the face), arthritis, fatigue, hair loss, chest and/or abdominal pain, oral ulcers, and neuropsychiatric problems such as headache, memory loss, mood disorders, and/or confusion.
more
lessWhile the cause of lupus is unknown, theories on its origin include involvement of lupus nephritis (inflammation of the kidney in lupus patients), genetics, infections, and the defective failure to process the products of an immune response. Although it is a lifelong condition, symptoms tend to cycle in alternate periods of flare-ups and remission. Those with lupus are at great risk of contracting kidney disease as well
Treatment options include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), corticosteroids, immunosuppressive drugs such as methotrexate, and experimental approaches such as intravenous immunoglobulin and vitamins/antioxidants.
It may be time to contact a rheumatologist when confirming a diagnosis initially provided by a primary care physician or when disease management is necessary. The Rheumatology department at Hospital for Special Surgery is a premier department (top ranked by U.S.News & World Report) for the diagnosis and treatment of rheumatic and autoimmune musculoskeletal diseases, and with the help of the Mary Kirkland Center for Lupus Care, the Mary Kirkland Center for Lupus Research and the five free, culturally diverse lupus support programs at HSS, our Hospital provides the very best in research and patient care for those with lupus.
To learn more about lupus and the free programs available at Hospital for Special Surgery, access the articles, audio clips, and video programs listed below.Overview
Diagnosis
Treatments
- Systematic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and Depression 101
- Lupus & Medications: An HSS Facebook Chat
- Benlysta (belimumab): A New Lupus Medication on the Horizon
- Steroid Side Effects: How to Reduce Corticosteroid Side Effects
- Recent Developments in Managing and Treating Lupus and Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS): Part I – Lupus
- Acupuncture for SLE: Can it Work for You?
- Your Own Best Advocate: How to be an Active Participant in Your Care
- Benlysta® (belimumab): The First FDA-Approved Biologic Agent for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
- Surgery in the Patient with Inflammatory Arthritis
- Lupus Care and Research at HSS: A Partnership
- Relaxation Imagery and Lupus: How it Can Help
Research
- Benlysta (belimumab): A New Lupus Medication on the Horizon
- Discovery Attracts New Funding for Pediatric Rheumatologist
- The PROMISSE Study: The Nation's Largest Ever Investigation of Pregnancy Loss in Lupus
- Disease Registries in the Assessment of Autoimmune Disorders and SLE Cognitive Abnormalities
- Lupus Research at Hospital for Special Surgery: An Introduction
- Lupus Care and Research at HSS: A Partnership
- Searching the Internet for Health Information: Techniques for Patients to Effectively Search Both Public and Professional Websites
- Autoimmune Disease: Does Sex Matter?
- The Research Proves It: For Better Health, Get Involved!
Mind-Body Issues
- Systematic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and Depression 101
- Lupus, Sexuality, and Intimacy: Beginning a Conversation
- The Doctor-Patient Relationship: A Journey Towards Effective Communication for Chronic Disease
- The Complex Problem of Pain
- The Emotional Impact of the Pain Experience
- Embracing Gratitude While Coping With Lupus
- Understanding Fatigue in Lupus - and What Can Be Done
HSS Support Services
Related Conditions
- Top 10 Series: Catastrophic Antiphospholipid Syndrome
- Systematic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and Depression 101
- Possible Environmental Triggers Associated with Autoimmune Diseases
- Sjogren's Syndrome and Lupus
- Top 10 Series: Lupus and Pregnancy
- Top 10 Series: Lupus and Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)
- Top 10 Series: Prevention of Blood Clots in Antiphospholipid Antibody-Positive Patients
- Top 10 Series: Lupus and Gender
- Steroid Side Effects: How to Reduce Corticosteroid Side Effects
- Doctor-Patient Communication: An SLE Workshop Support Group summary
- Recent Developments in Managing and Treating Lupus and Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS): Part II – APS
- Lupus Vasculitis and Blocked Blood Vessels
- The PROMISSE Study: The Nation's Largest Ever Investigation of Pregnancy Loss in Lupus
- FDA Alert Regarding Lupus Medication: an HSS Rheumatology Perspective
- Common Pulmonary Problems in Rheumatology
- Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS) Education
- The Complex Problem of Pain
- What Should Lupus Patients Know About Radiation Treatment for Cancer and Elective Cosmetic Enhancement Procedures?
- Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome - In-Depth Overview
- Eye Problems in Lupus
- Vaccinations and Rheumatic Disease
- Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Program Q&A: Chat Transcript
- The Effects of Lupus and Lupus Medications on Mood
- “Unlocking the Mystery of Lupus: Lupus & the Heart” FAQs
- Lupus and Kidney Disease: What You Should Know about Lupus Nephritis (Lupus Kidney Disease)
- Update on Smallpox and Flu Vaccinations
- Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease (UCTD): Frequently Asked Questions
- Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease - In-Depth Overview
- "Antiphospholipid Syndrome: Essential Information and Support" FAQs
- Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML) in Two Lupus Patients Treated with Rituximab (Rituxan): An HSS Rheumatology Perspective
- Lupus and Fibromyalgia
- Lupus-related Fatigue and Cognitive Dysfunction: The Chicken and the Egg
- Pregnancy in Autoimmune and Musculoskeletal Disease
- Mastering the Impact of Fatigue in Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Joint Pain in Patients with Lupus: Is It Really Arthritis?
- Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) Prevention in Lupus Patients
- Neuropsychiatric Problems in Lupus
- Coping with the Emotional Impact of Rheumatic Disease
- Lupus and Depression
Tips & Calculators
- Lupus, Sexuality, and Intimacy: Beginning a Conversation
- Top 10 Series: Lupus and Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)
- Nutrition and Lupus Part 1: Ways to Maintain a Healthy Diet
- Nutrition and Lupus Part 2: Focus on Specific Lupus-related Conditions: Cardiovascular Disease, Renal (Kidney) Disease, and other Lupus Risk Factors
- Searching the Internet for Health Information: Techniques for Patients to Effectively Search Both Public and Professional Websites
HSS Support Program Summaries
- Lupus Care: the Past, the Present, and the Future
- Pulmonary Issues and Lupus
- Lupus and Joint Replacement Surgery: What You Should Know
- Chronic Illness: Dealing with Changes and Winning
- Fierce Joy: a Memoir
- Systematic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and Depression 101
- Possible Environmental Triggers Associated with Autoimmune Diseases
- Who Am I Now?: Living with an Autoimmune Disease
- Lupus and Fatigue
- Lupus-related Fatigue and Cognitive Dysfunction: The Chicken and the Egg
- Lupus, Sexuality, and Intimacy: Beginning a Conversation
- Volunteering: Benefiting Yourself and Others
- Oral Concerns in People With Lupus
- Lupus and Employment Rights: Knowing Your Options
- Doctor-Patient Communication: An SLE Workshop Support Group summary
- Nutrition and Lupus Part 1: Ways to Maintain a Healthy Diet
- Recent Developments in Managing and Treating Lupus and Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS): Part I – Lupus
- Lupus Vasculitis and Blocked Blood Vessels
- You're Never Alone: Volunteers Talk About Lupus Support
- The Doctor-Patient Relationship: A Journey Towards Effective Communication for Chronic Disease
- Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome - In-Depth Overview
- Eye Problems in Lupus
- The Emotional Impact of the Pain Experience
- The Effects of Lupus and Lupus Medications on Mood
- Complementary and Alternative Therapies for Pain
- “Unlocking the Mystery of Lupus: Lupus & the Heart” FAQs
- Nutrition and Lupus Part 2: Focus on Specific Lupus-related Conditions: Cardiovascular Disease, Renal (Kidney) Disease, and other Lupus Risk Factors
- Managing Lupus Stress More Effectively by Changing Your Thoughts and Actions
- Lupus Across Cultures
- Acupuncture for SLE: Can it Work for You?
- Lupus and Kidney Disease: What You Should Know about Lupus Nephritis (Lupus Kidney Disease)
- Thinking, Memory and Lupus: What We Know and What We Can Do
- Embracing Gratitude While Coping With Lupus
- Lupus and Fibromyalgia
- Lupus Research, Medication, and Treatment: Past, Present, and Future
- Lupus and Infusion Therapy: What You Should Know Now
- Finding Lupus Information on the Internet
- Searching the Internet for Health Information: Techniques for Patients to Effectively Search Both Public and Professional Websites
- The Secret Handshake of Lupus: A Patient Roundtable
- The SLE Workshop 20th Anniversary Celebration
- Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) Prevention in Lupus Patients
- Relaxation Imagery and Lupus: How it Can Help
- Lupus and Depression
- Lupus and the Holiday Season: How to Cope with Stress
Clinical Trials
- A Phase 3, Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Subcutaneous LY2127399 in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) (ILLUMINATE-2)
- Fc Receptor Function in Normals and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)
- Autoimmune Disease Registry and Repository
- PROMISSE: Predictors of Pregnancy Outcome: Biomarkers in Anti-Phospholipid Antibody Syndrome (APS) and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)
- A Phase 1 Double Blind, Randomized, Single Ascending Dose Study of the Safety and Tolerability of MEDI 570 in SLE
- A Phase 2B, Dose Ranging Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Sifalimumab in Adults with SLE
- Effect of Hydroxychloroquine on the Annexin A5 Resistance Assay in Antiphospholipid Antibody-Positive Patients with and without Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
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