Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease. It happens when cells in the immune system start to attack healthy organs and contribute to inflammation and damage.

Systemic lupus erythematosus, also just called Lupus, can affect almost any part of the body, especially the joints, the skin, the membranes around the lungs or heart and the kidneys.

SLE is rare, but it does seem to be getting more common. Most cases are in women.

The first symptoms of SLE can be vague – feeling very tired, severe aches and pains, and feeling generally unwell. So it’s easy to confuse it with other illnesses.

But in some cases SLE can be very serious, or even fatal. Some people with SLE get serious infections, others develop arterial damage, leading to heart attacks, strokes, and kidney failure. But, as doctors learn more about SLE, they are finding better ways to treat it.

Treating systemic lupus erythematosus

There is no cure for systemic lupus erythematosus, but there are a lot of medicines that people can take to ease their symptoms.

They can take simple painkillers, such as Aspirin™ and paracetamol, to relieve aches and pains, and they can take steroid tablets to reduce inflammation and suppress their overactive immune system.

Other stronger drugs also suppress inflammation and the immune system. These include drugs that are used to prevent rejection of transplanted organs, anti-cancer drugs, and drugs that are used to treat and prevent malaria.

However, none of these drugs was designed for SLE. New research is looking for better drugs that will be targeted at the specific cells in the immune system which seem to trigger SLE.