Lupus is a persistent (chronic) disease that causes inflammation in various parts of the body. The severity of lupus ranges from mild to severe. There are two main types of lupus. Discoid lupus only affects the skin and is not discussed in this leaflet. The other form is systemic lupus, which involves the skin and joints and may involve internal organs such as the heart or kidney as well.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original article at https://patient.info/skin-conditions/lupus-systemic-lupus-erythematosus