Systemic lupus erythematosus in the intensive care unit

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an inflammatory autoimmune disorder that affects multiple organ systems and causes significant morbidity and mortality. Although the 5-year survival rate in most recent studies exceeds 90%, its high incidence (124 cases per 100,000) makes the disease responsible for a significant mortality. Infection, cardiovascular disease, and organ failure are among the leading causes of death in almost all the studies looking at mortality in SLE. Although the disease affects virtually all organ systems with varying degrees of severity, this article focuses on clinical manifestations of the disease that are severe enough to necessitate admission to the intensive care unit.