Lupus is generally not deadly and thanks to advancements in medicine, lupus life expectancy for 80% to 90% of those diagnosed is an average lifespan with proper treatment and follow-up care.
There is currently no cure for lupus, also known as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and it remains a serious illness that can harm body systems. Yet a lupus diagnosis no longer means an early death.
Learn how lupus affects the body and when it can be deadly, why the life expectancy of those with lupus has improved, and how symptoms can be managed so you can have the best quality of life.
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Illustration by Tara Anand for Verywell Health
How Long Can You Live With Lupus?
Lupus was once much more deadly than it is today. Now, most people can achieve a normal lifespan, living 10 years or more beyond their diagnosis (that's how long studies have followed their progress, not the actual prognosis).
The odds improve for those who take their medication as prescribed and follow instructions from their healthcare provider. Those who experience severe lupus flare-ups may be exposed to more risk.
Lupus Outcomes and At-Risk Groups
Recent data from the United States found lupus a leading cause of death in people assigned female at birth, especially between ages 15 to 24 years. The risk of death also was higher among African American and Latinx people. Some researchers believe outcomes can be improved by greater awareness of genetics and at-risk groups.
Effects of Lupus on the Body
Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disorder. While the exact cause of lupus is unknown, scientists believe that environmental factors, genetics, medications, infections, and stress play roles in causing the condition.
In people who have lupus, the immune system attacks healthy cells and tissues, which causes pain, swelling, and organ damage, among other symptoms. Lupus can damage many parts of the body, including major organs.
Heart
A number of studies suggest a higher risk of cardiovascular (heart) disease in people diagnosed with lupus, although there have been mixed results. These illnesses can include heart rhythm changes, such as atrial fibrillation, as well as heart failure.
Blood Vessels
The impacts of lupus on the cardiovascular system extend to blood vessel changes, such as peripheral vascular disease. Studies suggest an increase in the risk of blood clots. In some studies, the risk of stroke was two or three times that of the general population.
Brain
Lupus may increase the risk of stroke but it also can lead to other changes. Neuropsychiatric lupus is a serious complication that leads to headaches, seizures, and other neurological changes. It also can lead to anxiety, mood disorders, and cognitive challenges like confusion.
These manifestations of lupus also are linked to illnesses like myasthenia gravis or aseptic (non-bacterial) meningitis, and they're a leading cause of lupus-related deaths.
Skin
Skin-related symptoms are the most common clinical findings of lupus that healthcare providers see. Inflammation affects up to 93% of people diagnosed with lupus, and red spots and butterfly rashes are the first sign in up to 25% of people with the disease.
Other factors may increase the risk of skin changes with lupus, including exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light and smoking.
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Reproduced with permission from ©DermNet and ©Raimo Suhonen dermnetnz.org 2023.
Joints
Lupus can cause pain and inflammation around the joints. Symptoms of the inflammatory arthritis of lupus include swelling and stiffness, most often in the joints of fingers, wrists, ankles, and knees that are farther away from the body's core.
Lupus also can lead to muscle pain and weakness.
Lungs
Lupus is linked to a number of respiratory illnesses, some that may be more likely because of the drugs used to treat lupus. Interstitial lung disease, acute pneumonitis, and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) are just a few of the related conditions.
Kidneys
Lupus nephritis is a common complication affecting the kidneys, affecting about 50% of people with lupus. Up to 20% of people who develop this condition will progress to potentially fatal end-stage kidney disease.
Treatment is possible, but experts stress the importance of routine screening for kidney function.
While the exact cause of lupus is unknown, scientists believe that environmental factors, genetics, medications, infections, and stress play roles in causing the condition.
When Lupus Is Deadly: Factors Affecting Lifespan
Again, lupus is not considered the deadly disease that it once was. But that does not mean that it can not be fatal.
Kidney failure used to be the most common cause of lupus mortality. It remains a risk of death that's up to eight times greater than that of the general population. When lupus shortens someone’s lifespan, it is most often attributed to long-term complications of the disease, especially:
- Infection
- Kidney failure
- Cardiovascular disease (e.g., heart attack and stroke)
Lupus complications are increasingly related to aggressive treatments. These treatments can extend a patient's life considerably, but their side effects may eventually take a health toll.
The severity of your lupus factors into your life expectancy. It's been shown that people with more severe lupus tend to have shorter lifespans. This is probably because people with severe disease have more disease complications and get more aggressive treatment.
Managing Lupus
Managing lupus is key to living a normal lifespan. Some medicines used to treat and manage lupus symptoms include:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): These medications can help reduce pain and swelling in joints and muscles.
- Corticosteroids: Corticosteroids, namely prednisone, can reduce swelling and pain and calm the immune system.
- Antimalarial drugs: Studies found that taking antimalarial drugs, which are used to treat malaria, can stop lupus flares. These drugs can treat joint pain, skin rashes, fatigue, and lung inflammation.
- BLyS-specific inhibitors: These drugs, such as Benlysta (belimumab), limit abnormal immune cells found in those with lupus, which can reduce symptoms.
- Chemotherapy/immunosuppressants: For severe cases of lupus that especially affect major organs, these medicines may be used to suppress the immune system.
Lifestyle Changes
Other ways to manage lupus symptoms include:
- Making regular visits to your healthcare provider
- Getting enough sleep to maintain overall health and limit flare-ups
- Limiting your exposure to the sun and the UV light sensitivity common in lupus
You also may want to consider other diet changes and lifestyle practices:
- Quit smoking, since it can increase the existing heart and lung risks. It also raises the risk of developing lupus.
- Prevent infection with good hygiene practices (like handwashing). Serious infections, including urinary tract and respiratory infections, cause about a third of all deaths in people with lupus.
- Get regular exercise, to keep joints and muscles healthy.
- Maintain a healthy weight while avoiding weight loss.
Summary
Lupus life expectancy has improved greatly with the medical advances of recent decades. However, it remains a chronic disease for which there is no cure.
Lupus is deadly when complications occur. Among the most serious complications are kidney disease, heart disease, and neurological impacts.
That said, most people have an average lifespan with proper treatment. Lifestyle practices can help to prevent flare-ups and keep you healthy.
Lupus Doctor Discussion Guide
Get our printable guide for your next doctor's appointment to help you ask the right questions.
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