Lupus is when your immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells. The exact causes are largely unknown. A combination of hormonal, genetic, environmental, and immunologic factors can increase your risk of developing the condition.
Lupus affects several organs and body parts, including the skin, lungs, kidneys, joints, muscles, and heart.
Lupus often runs in families, but a family history doesn’t guarantee you’ll develop the disease.
Keep in mind that:
- Having a genetic mutation does not guarantee you will develop the condition.
- Lupus affects each person differently.
- Not all people with lupus developed the condition because of a genetic mutation.
The following risk factors may increase your likelihood of developing lupus:
- Age: Lupus is most common in women aged 15–44.
- Ethnicity: Black women are more likely to develop lupus compared to White women. Lupus is also more common in Hispanic, Asian, Native American, and Alaskan Native women.
- Geography: Lupus has increasingly become more common in industrialized Western countries. Researchers believe people living in Africa and Asia have lower rates of lupus compared to Western countries.
- Sex: Lupus is more common in women than in men.
Researchers do not know the exact underlying cause of lupus, but they have identified some risk factors. Hormones, genes, environment, and immune system function can all influence your risk of developing lupus.
Hormonal
Lupus is almost 10 times more common in women than in men. Experts have attempted to understand the role of hormones in the development of lupus. Some evidence suggests that hormones may explain why more women than men have lupus.
These hormones include but are not limited to:
- Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)
- Estrogen
- Estradiol
- Prolactin
- Progesterone
- Prolactin
- Testosterone
Genetic
Certain genes may play a role in the development of lupus. More research is needed, but some evidence suggests that genetic variations can increase the risk. Mutations in multiple genes most often increase your chances of developing the condition.
Immunologic and Inflammatory
Lupus is an autoimmune disorder, so most people with it have changes related to how their immune system works. Cells undergo apoptosis when they are damaged or no longer needed in the immune system. Apoptosis is a process that causes the self-destruction or death of cells. These cells usually exit the body when they are no longer in use.
Research has shown that dead cells remain in the bodies of those with lupus. These cells release substances or toxins that can trigger inflammation in the immune system. The immune system begins to attack healthy tissues within different organs of the body, eventually manifesting the physical symptoms of lupus.
Environmental
Research has found that certain environmental factors can influence your risk of developing lupus. These factors include:
- Being allergic to certain medications, such as antibiotics
- Exposure to silica dust, which is commonly used in cleaning powders, soil, pottery materials, and cement
- Getting certain infections, such as the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), can cause inflammation in your immune system
- Having a current or past history of smoking cigarettes
- Using or being exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light
