What is lupus?

Autoimmune disease: Lupus (or sle or systemic lupus erythematosus) is an autoimmune disease that can cause many symptoms including joint pains, kidney disease, rashes, blood count disturbances and more. Your doctor can evaluate if you need to be tested.

Autoimmune: Lupus is a classic autoimmune disease where ones body attacks itself. Depending on where the immune system attacks that could be the symptom that occurs. Lupus can attack essentially any organ in the body and affects women more then men. Symptoms include skin rash, arthritis, heart, kidney, fevers, weight loss are problems that can be quite common. There are treatments available.

Attack on self: Lupus erythematosus is a chronic inflammatory disease of unknown cause. The immune system attacks the patient's own body (autoimmunity) and can inflame the skin, joints, kidneys, nervous system, lungs, mucous membranes, and other internal organs. A red rash is often but not always present hence the term lupus erythematosus meaning "red wolf.".