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Lupus also tends to affect women between the ages of 15 and 55, and having a close relative with lupus or another autoimmune disease may increase the risk as well. Being African American, Native American, or Alaska Native puts you at a higher risk of lupus. Lupus affects mostly women – about 90% of people with SLE are female. No one is sure how many people have lupus in the United States, but estimates range from 160,000 to 1.5 million. Lupus can also be difficult to diagnose because the condition is unpredictable and tends to be different for each person. It's called a "flare" when you have lupus symptoms and "remission" when you don't.Įxperts don't know what causes lupus but it's likely that genetics, hormones, and environmental factors all play a part. Symptoms can range from mild to severe, and can come and go. SLE can be mild or severe and affects various parts of the body, including the heart, joints, skin, lungs, blood vessels, kidneys, and nervous system. There are different types of lupus, but the most common form is systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Your immune system normally protects you from infections and disease, but if you have lupus, your immune system attacks the healthy tissues of your body– and this is why lupus is called an autoimmune disease. Lupus is a chronic illness that affects the immune system. Approved by the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine What is lupus?