Systemic Lupus (SLE) Treatment
Autoimmune disease affecting many organs — diagnosis and treatment at Arthritis Care of Texas.
Your immune system attacks healthy parts of your body by mistake. Lupus can affect the skin, joints, kidneys, and other organs. Treatment calms the immune system and helps prevent flares — times when symptoms get worse.
There is no cure for lupus yet — the goal is control: keeping the disease quiet, preventing flares, and protecting organs, especially the kidneys. Success looks like long stretches with few or no symptoms, the lowest possible steroid dose, stable kidney labs, and a normal life lived on your terms rather than the disease’s.
Systemic lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disease that causes the body to create abnormal antibodies to attack its own tissues. These antibodies attack both the skin tissues and those of internal systemic organs. Any part of the body may be affected, including vital organs like the kidneys, heart, brain and lungs. Joint pain and stiffness are very common symptoms. In some cases, arthritis can develop, as can hair loss, respiratory pain, mouth sores, fatigue, sunlight sensitivity, and unexplained fever. Symptoms may persist chronically or may come and go in sporadic "flare-ups."
Did you know… there are 10 women suffering from lupus for every 1 man diagnosed with the disease? Most people who develop systemic lupus erythematosus are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 40. According to the American College of Rheumatology, Asians and individuals with dark skin are especially prone to developing lupus.
Could I be at risk of developing systemic lupus erythematosus?
Lupus can affect anyone, though genetics may play a role in predisposition. However, 9 in 10 people with lupus have no family history of the disease. It is believed that environmental factors play a significant role in the development of lupus.
What types of lupus treatments are available?
Though there is currently no cure for systemic lupus erythematosus, certain medications and lifestyle modifications may lessen symptoms and prevent tissue damage. Anti-inflammatory, anti-malarial, and immunosuppressant medications can all play a role in managing the disease, minimizing symptoms and relieving pain.
What long-term outcomes can I expect with treatment?
With proper medical care and oversight by a rheumatologist, systemic lupus erythematosus does not have to progress or become less manageable. Many people who have lupus live relatively normal lives, though it is important to visit a rheumatologist regularly to monitor the status of the disease.
Did you know?
- Lupus is Latin for “wolf” — physicians centuries ago thought the facial rash looked as though a wolf had nipped at the cheeks.
- Lupus has earned the nickname “the great imitator” because its symptoms can dress up as dozens of other illnesses.
- For many people with lupus, sunshine is a trigger, not just a sunburn risk — ultraviolet light can switch a flare on, which is why sunscreen counts as everyday equipment.
Common worries
Why so many blood and urine tests when I feel well?
Lupus can injure the kidneys and lower blood counts without causing any symptoms until damage is advanced. Regular labs are the early-warning system — urine protein and kidney values change months before you would feel anything. Feeling well is exactly when the tests do their best work.
Will lupus stop me having children?
Most women with lupus have successful pregnancies, especially when the disease has been quiet for several months beforehand. Some medicines must be swapped before conception, so tell us early — planned pregnancies on stable, pregnancy-compatible treatment go far better than surprises.
Why must I be so careful about the sun?
Ultraviolet light is a proven lupus trigger — it can provoke rashes and even whole-body flares days later. Daily sunscreen and sensible cover are not cosmetic advice; they are part of your treatment.
Related Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine) · Cellcept (mycophenolate) · Imuran (azathioprine) · Steroid tablets · Request an appointment
What counts as a flare: a clear worsening beyond your usual — returning rash, mouth ulcers, hair shedding, joint swelling, unusual fatigue, frothy urine or swelling of the legs (kidney signs), chest pain on breathing, or fever without an obvious infection.
What to do: call us at (361) 400-7700 promptly; kidney flares in particular can be silent, so do not try to judge severity by pain alone. Keep taking your regular medicines.
Do not adjust steroids on your own: never double prednisone or restart an old taper without calling — the right response depends on which organs are involved, and we may need labs first.
What isn’t a flare: a tired day after poor sleep, mild joint aches that pass in a day, or a rash explained by a new soap or sunburn without other symptoms. When in doubt, call — we would rather reassure you than miss a flare.
Ready to be seen? New patients are seen within 2–4 weeks.