Scientists are working to find out what causes lupus and how it can best be treated. Here are some of the questions they are trying to answer:
- Who gets lupus and why?
- Why are women more likely to get lupus than men?
- Why are there more cases of lupus among certain racial and ethnic groups?
- What goes wrong in the immune system and why?
- What genes play a role in lupus?
- How can we fix an immune system that isn’t working well?
- How can lupus symptoms best be treated?
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) supports research on health and disease. The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) supports research on the bones, joints, muscles, connective tissue, and skin. These are the parts of the body that can be affected by lupus. Researchers are looking at:
- Certain genes make some people more likely to have serious complications, such as kidney disease. Researchers have found a gene linked to a higher risk of lupus kidney disease in African Americans. Changes in this gene keep the immune system from removing harmful germ-fighters from the body after they’ve done their job. Other genes may also play a role.
- Lupus is more common in women than in men. Researchers are looking into the role of hormones and other male-female differences.
- One project is testing a new drug. Another is testing a combination of two medicines. One is a standard drug, the other is a new drug. Scientists hope these drugs will be more effective and cause fewer side effects.
