Advances in the management of systemic lupus erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disorder of unknown cause that afflicts one person per thousand, and up to one in 200 women in certain ethnic groupings. Ninety percent of those affected are women, and most develop the disease in their child bearing years. Half of those with systemic lupus erythematosus will evolve organ threatening disease with involvement of their heart, lung, kidney, liver, central nervous system with vasculitis or autoimmune cytopenias. Historically, these individuals have a poorer prognosis, with half surviving 15 years. The treatment of organ threatening disease carries a high morbidity and often results in difficult quality of life changes