Systemic lupus erythematosus | Musculoskeletal Disorders | EduRx

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), or lupus, is an autoimmune disease in which a person's immune system attacks various organs or cells of the body, causing damage and dysfunction.
Lupus is called a multisystem disease because it can affect many different tissues and organs in the body. Lupus is more common in women than men, and for reasons that are not precisely understood, its peak incidence is after puberty.
Symptoms vary between people and may be mild to severe. Common symptoms include painful and swollen joints, fever, chest pain, hair loss, mouth ulcers, swollen lymph nodes, feeling tired, and a red rash which is most commonly on the face. Often there are periods of illness, called flares, and periods of remission during which there are few symptoms.