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Medical Author:

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

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Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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Medical Editor:

Catherine Burt Driver, MD

Catherine Burt Driver, MD

Catherine Burt Driver, MD, is board certified in internal medicine and rheumatology by the American Board of Internal Medicine. Dr. Driver is a member of the American College of Rheumatology. She currently is in active practice in the field of rheumatology in Mission Viejo, Calif., where she is a partner in Mission Internal Medical Group.

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While it usually is not, lupus can be organ-threatening. For example, lupus can lead to complications of kidney failure, brain damage, scarring of skin, and eye injury. Moreover, the medications used to control lupus can sometimes lead to organ injury or lead to infection because of suppression of the natural immune system. Steroid use is associated with a number of complications, including psychiatric disturbances, increased susceptibility to infection, fragile bones, cataract formation, diabetes and worsening of existing diabetes, high blood pressure, insomnia, thinning of the skin, puffiness of the face, and avascular necrosis of joints.

There is a much higher occurrence of complications of lupus in pregnancy, especially if the kidneys are involved by the disease or if the disease is active. Women whose lupus has been inactive for six to 12 months are more likely to have a successful pregnancy. In addition, antibodies formed in the mother that are transferred from mother to fetus can occasionally affect the infant, leading to rashes, low blood counts, or more seriously a slow heart rate due to complete heart block (neonatal lupus). For these reasons, all women with lupus who are or who desire to become pregnant should consult with their treating rheumatologist or other treating physicians and should be referred for "high-risk" obstetric care.

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