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Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), commonly referred to as lupus, is an autoimmune disorder that affects the kidneys and other organs as well as the skin and joints.

Lupus appears to be a women’s disease for the most part — more than 90 percent of those diagnosed are women between the ages of 15 and 40. People with relatives who have lupus have a 5 to 13 percent chance of developing the disease, although people whose mothers have lupus have just a 5 percent chance of getting it. In most cases, people diagnosed with lupus have a relative who has been diagnosed with some other autoimmune disease.

Although lupus is largely a genetic disorder, some environmental factors can trigger the illness: exposure to ultraviolet sun rays or rays from fluorescent bulbs, sulfa drugs, penicillin, an infection, a cold or other viral infection, exhaustion, stress, or an injury.

The severity of lupus can range widely; it can be very mild, or it can turn fatal. Symptoms of lupus vary according to which part of the body is affected:

 Brain and nervous system: Symptoms may include headaches, personality changes, psychotic episodes, tingling in the arms and legs, and seizures.

 Digestive tract: Symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.

 Kidneys: Look for discolored urine.

 Heart: Symptoms include arrhythmia.

 Lungs: Symptoms include coughing up blood.

 Skin: Skin rashes, particularly on the face, appear if lupus is affecting the skin.

Some common symptoms, regardless of where lupus attacks, are fatigue, weight loss, unexplained fever, sores in the mouth, and hair loss.

There’s no cure for lupus, but you can control the symptoms. Dietary changes are one way to help relieve some of the pain and discomfort. Some medications alleviate discomfort for some varieties of lupus, and corticosteroid creams are used for skin rashes.