At the onset of lupus, the symptoms are commonly very general and therefore make diagnosing the disease difficult. The most common initial complaints are fatigue, fever, and muscle and joint pain.
This is called a "flulike syndrome."
Although lupus is a multisystem disease, certain organs are affected more commonly than others:
Lungs: More than 50% of people with lupus have some sort of lung disease. Inflammation of the lining of the lung (pleurisy) is the most common problem. This can lead to chest pain and shortness of breath and can be confused with clots in the lung or lung infection (pneumonia). Collections of water in the space between the lung and the chest wall occur as well (called pleural effusions). Pneumonia can occur in lupus patients who are taking immunosuppressive medications.
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Lupus Research
As many as two million Americans may have lupus, an unpredictable autoimmune disease in which, for no known reason, the body attacks itself. See more WebMD Videos »
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