Lupus: Frequently Asked Questions

First published September 2017
Updated September 2025

What Is Lupus?

Lupus is an autoimmune condition, where the immune system confuses the body for a foreign invader, like a bacteria or virus, and attacks it. Lupus targets different areas of the body such as the skin, joints and organs (kidneys, heart, lungs or brain) and causes inflammation and damage.

Who Gets Lupus?

For unknown reasons, lupus is more common in certain groups of people. It is 10 times more in women of child-bearing years compared to men. It is also more common in people of African American, Hispanic, Native American and Asian origin.

What Causes Lupus?

The exact cause of lupus is not known in most cases. Some medications are known to cause lupus-like symptoms, and in some children, certain genes lead to lupus. In most people, unknown genetic and environmental factors increase the risk of developing lupus.

A good way to think of it is as an overflowing cup of water being the beginning of lupus symptoms. Imagine a cup is being filled to a certain level at the beginning of life based on a person’s genes. Then as you go through life, environmental triggers, like viral infections, could add water to the glass. Some people start with more water in their glass making them more likely to develop lupus. Others may encounter more environmental factors that fill their glass.

Lupus does not get transmitted from a parent to a child. However, certain heart conditions can occur in a baby born to a mother with lupus. Therefore, a pregnant woman with lupus needs close monitoring in a high-risk obstetric clinic. 

Lupus is not contagious and cannot be spread from person to person like bacteria or viruses.

What Are the Symptoms of Lupus?

Lupus affects multiple parts of the body and affects different people in different ways. Some people only have lupus affecting the skin (Cutaneous Lupus) while others develop multiple manifestations affecting the organs (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus or SLE). Some symptoms of lupus are: 

• Skin rashes (may be red to dark depending on skin tone)
  • Often triggered by sun exposure
  • Malar rash: butterfly-shaped rash on the cheeks and bridge of the nose
  • Discoid: round, scarring, painless rash on the face, body and ears that can be lighter or darker than normal skin
• Joint pain or swelling
• Hair loss (Alopecia)
• Painless ulcers inside the mouth or nose
• Easy bruising
• Fatigue
• Trouble breathing
• Chest pain
• Fingers or other body parts that turn white and can be painful (Raynaud’s phenomenon)
• Frothy urine
• Bloody urine
• Swelling of the hands, legs, or feet (can be a sign of kidney disease)
• Headaches
• Changes in mental health or behavior 

Having one or more of these symptoms does not mean someone has lupus. The combination of symptoms, as well as lab tests, help doctors diagnose lupus.

How is Lupus Diagnosed?

Lupus is usually diagnosed by a rheumatologist based on a combination of symptoms and lab tests. If a doctor thinks your child may have lupus, they may provide a referral to a rheumatologist who will order several blood and urine tests.

The blood tests include blood counts, kidney function, markers of inflammation, and different tests of the immune system. Lupus is diagnosed by the presence of multiple clinical and laboratory criteria. The laboratory criteria include levels of certain immune proteins called “complement” and presence of certain autoantibodies (antibodies against your own body).

Most individuals with lupus will have a positive antibody test called antinuclear antibody or ANA, although ANA can be positive in other diseases or even in healthy children. People with lupus often have a positive antibody test for double-stranded DNA (dsDNA). Your rheumatologist may monitor the dsDNA antibody and complement levels over time as these can be markers of lupus activity and effective treatment.

The other major lab tests look at kidney function. We measure kidney function by looking for protein or blood in the urine. If this happens, your child may need a kidney biopsy, where a small piece of the kidney tissue is removed and examined under a microscope. A biopsy is important to see if lupus has affected the kidneys. This is very important in making a treatment plan.

Can Lupus Be Treated or Cured?

Lupus caused by a medication (drug-induced lupus) typically goes away when the medication is stopped. There is currently no cure for systemic lupus, but there are many effective treatments to control the disease and prevent organ damage. Treatment of lupus depends on the part of the body that is affected. It may consist of daily pills, weekly injections or infusions. Most children have to take multiple medications to keep their lupus controlled. Taking medication daily as the doctor recommends is important to ensure that lupus does not interfere with daily activities or life plans.

Is Lupus in Children Different from Adult Lupus?

Childhood-onset SLE (c-SLE) represents 15 to 20% of all SLE patients, affecting about ten out of one million children per year. Onset of SLE is rare before five years of age. However, childhood lupus may be more severe, with kidney disease seen in up to 2/3 of children with the disease. Therefore, it is important to diagnose the disease early and follow the treatment plan as prescribed.