systemic lupus erythematosus

noun

systemic lupus er·​y·​the·​ma·​to·​sus -ˌer-ə-ˌthē-mə-ˈtō-səs 

: a chronic, inflammatory, variable autoimmune disease of connective tissue that occurs chiefly in women and is typically characterized by fever, skin rash, fatigue, and joint pain and often by disorders of the blood, kidneys, heart, lungs, and brain (such as hemolytic anemia, nephritis, pleurisy, pericarditis, cognitive dysfunction, or meningitis)

—abbreviation SLE

called also lupus

Examples of systemic lupus erythematosus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

People under the age of 50 with systemic lupus erythematosus, in particular, have a higher risk of having a stroke. —Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 23 Jan. 2024

Craft directs a lab devoted to the study of systemic lupus erythematosus. —Markham Heid, TIME, 27 Dec. 2023

Too much interferon signaling is known to be harmful in medical conditions such as systemic lupus erythematosus, a group of genetic disorders known as interferonopathies and severe COVID-19. —Joaquin Espinosa, The Conversation, 5 June 2023

Vitiligo is also sometimes associated with autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, such as Hashimoto's thyroiditis, scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes mellitus, psoriasis, Addison's disease, pernicious anemia, alopecia areata, systemic lupus erythematosus, and celiac disease. —Emily Kirkpatrick, Peoplemag, 25 May 2023

One of the most common is systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). —Anne Harding, Health, 19 Apr. 2023

What at first was a mystery ailment was finally diagnosed as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks its own tissues, causing widespread inflammation and tissue damage in the affected organs. —Scott Talley, Freep.com, 16 Oct. 2022

Twelve year later, O'Connor died at the age of 39 from systemic lupus erythematosus. —Kirby Adams, The Courier-Journal, 27 Jan. 2023

These include systemic lupus erythematosus, type 1 diabetes, inflammatory bowel diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and celiac disease. —Denise Mann, Health, 26 Jan. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1951, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

systemic lupus erythematosus

noun

systemic lupus er·​y·​the·​ma·​to·​sus -ˌer-ə-ˌthē-mə-ˈtō-səs 

: a chronic, inflammatory, variable, autoimmune disease of connective tissue that occurs chiefly in women and is typically characterized by fever, skin rash, fatigue, and joint pain and often by disorders of the blood, kidneys, heart, lungs, and brain (such as hemolytic anemia, nephritis, pleurisy, pericarditis, cognitive dysfunction, or meningitis)

No disease more dramatically illustrates the body's capacity to turn on itself than systemic lupus erythematosus …

—Stephen E. Goldfinger and Paul Cotton, Harvard Medical Health Letter

We would also run blood tests for autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, in which the body reacts to its own cells and proteins …

—Abigail Zuger, Discover

—abbreviation SLE

called also systemic lupus