There are several different forms of lupus. Each affects different areas of the body and causes different symptoms.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
SLE is the most common form of lupus. It affects multiple organs and areas in the body. Inflammatory changes can occur in the:

• Brain
• Eyes
• Heart
• Joints
• Kidneys
• Small blood vessels

Discoid Lupus
This is a special kind of lupus that mainly affects the skin.

People with discoid lupus have a red raised rash that may be present on the face (most common), scalp, or other areas of the body. The rash may appear to be thick and scaly. A small number of people with discoid lupus will develop systemic lupus erythematosus.

Neonatal lupus
This is a rare form of lupus in infants born to mothers with systemic lupus. These children can be born with severe congenital heart defects and other symptoms consistent with lupus.

Drug Induced Lupus
A lupus-like syndrome can occur as a side effect of a number of drugs. The symptoms of drug induced lupus are very similar to that of the systemic form. Fortunately, the symptoms resolve slowly when the medication is discontinued.

These medications include:

• Hydralazine (Apresoline)
• Procainamide (Procan, Pronestyl)
• Methyldopa (Aldomet)
• Quinidine (Quinaglute)
• Isoniazid (INH)
• Phenytoin (Dilantin)
• Carbamazepine (Tegretol)