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Complications

By Mayo Clinic staff

Inflammation caused by lupus can affect many areas of your body, including your:

  • Kidneys. Lupus can cause serious kidney damage, and kidney failure is one of the leading causes of death among people with lupus. Signs and symptoms of kidney problems may include generalized itching, chest pain, nausea, vomiting and leg swelling (edema).
  • Brain. If your brain is affected by lupus, you may experience headaches, dizziness, behavior changes, hallucinations, and even strokes or seizures. Many people with lupus experience memory problems and may have difficulty expressing their thoughts.
  • Blood and blood vessels. Lupus may lead to blood problems, including anemia and increased risk of bleeding or blood clotting. It can also cause inflammation of the blood vessels (vasculitis).
  • Lungs. Having lupus increases your chances of developing an inflammation of the chest cavity lining (pleurisy), which can make breathing painful.
  • Heart. Lupus can cause inflammation of your heart muscle, your arteries or heart membrane (pericarditis). The risk of cardiovascular disease and heart attacks increases greatly as well.

Other types of complications
Having lupus also increase your risk of:

  • Infection. People with lupus are more vulnerable to infection because both the disease and its treatments weaken the immune system. Infections that most commonly affect people with lupus include urinary tract infections, respiratory infections, yeast infections, salmonella, herpes and shingles.
  • Cancer. Having lupus appears to increase your risk of cancer.
  • Bone tissue death (avascular necrosis). This occurs when the blood supply to a bone diminishes, often leading to tiny breaks in the bone and eventually to the bone's collapse. The hip joint is most commonly affected.
  • Pregnancy complications. Women with lupus have an increased risk of miscarriage. Lupus increases the risk of high blood pressure during pregnancy (preeclampsia) and preterm birth. To reduce the risk of these complications, doctors recommend delaying pregnancy until your disease has been under control for at least 6 months.
Preparing for your appointment Risk factors
References
  1. Handout on Health: Systemic lupus erythematosus. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Lupus/. Accessed Aug. 22, 2011.
  2. Crow MK. Systemic lupus erythematosus. In: Goldman L, et al. Cecil Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2011. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/191371208-2/0/1492/0.html#. Accessed Aug. 22, 2011.
  3. Systemic lupus erythematosus. In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2011: Instant Diagnosis and Treatment. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2011. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05610-6..C2009-0-38600-6--TOP&isbn=978-0-323-05610-6&about=true&uniqId=230100505-53. Accessed Aug. 22, 2011.
  4. Schur PH, et al. Diagnosis and differential diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 23, 2011.
  5. Hahn BH. Systemic lupus erythematosus. In: Longo DL, et al. Harrison's Online. 18th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2012. http://www.accessmedicine.com/resourceTOC.aspx?resourceID=4. Accessed Aug. 23, 2011.
  6. Schur PH, et al. Overview of the therapy and prognosis of systemic lupus erythematosus in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 23, 2011.
  7. Moder KG (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Aug. 25, 2011.
  8. Rohren CH (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Sept. 1, 2011.
  9. Falk RJ, et al. Indications for renal biopsy in patients with lupus nephritis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 1, 2011.
  10. Whittier WL, et al. Indications for and complications of renal biopsy. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 1, 2011.
  11. Haija AJ, et al. The role and effect of complementary and alternative medicine in systemic lupus erythematosus. Rheumatic Disease Clinics of North America. 2011;37:47.
  12. Systemic lupus erythematosus. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com. Accessed Aug. 23, 2011.
DS00115 Oct. 26, 2011

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