Lupus Diagnosis How Lupus Affects Men By Jeri Jewett-Tennant, MPH Jeri Jewett-Tennant, MPH LinkedIn Jeri Jewett-Tennant, MPH, is a medical writer and program development manager at the Center for Reducing Health Disparities. Learn about our editorial process Updated on May 25, 2020 Medically reviewed Verywell Health articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and healthcare professionals. These medical reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Grant Hughes, MD Medically reviewed by Grant Hughes, MD LinkedIn Grant Hughes, MD, is a board-certified rheumatologist. He is an associate professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine and the head of rheumatology at Seattle’s Harborview Medical Center. Learn about our Medical Expert Board Print Though systemic lupus erythematosus is often thought of as a women’s health issue, the truth is men get lupus, too. And while the prevalence of lupus in women is great — nearly 90% of lupus patients between ages 15 to 45 are women — men shouldn’t discount both the potential of getting lupus and the seriousness with which the disease presents. Hero Images / Getty Images Is There a Difference? A question that often crops up when discussing lupus in women and men is whether the disease affects the sexes differently. A number of studies have been conducted to see if differences exist, though results vary—almost as much as the differences in the tests themselves (how they were conducted, the number of male patients, racial and ethnic backgrounds). Still, some differences were noted. Symptoms more common in men: Pleurisy (inflammation of the sac around the lungs) Renal (kidney) disease Discoid lupus (reddish, scaly skin) Hemolytic anemia (from the destruction of red blood cells) Lupus anticoagulant (can promote abnormal blood clotting) Seizures And while those differences may exist, lupus’ similarities in men and women, especially with regard to symptom manifestations, are many. For example, while discoid lupus may be more common in males, lesions look the same in both sexes. Signs and Symptoms of Lupus Why Lupus Might Be More Common in Women More questions than answers exist when it comes to discussing lupus, and why the disease affects so many more women than men is one of them. A potential answer might lie with the role of sex hormones—estrogen, commonly associated with women, and androgen, commonly associated with men. “Commonly associated” because both hormones are produced in both sexes, and are not exclusive to one sex or the other. It is thought that estrogen may encourage the development of autoimmune disorders while androgens may offer some protection. So, the higher levels of estrogen in women may — may — be one reason why the disease is more prevalent in females. Low levels of androgen in men are thought to connect to the development of the disease in males. Whatever the reason, it is important to remember that lupus isn’t solely associated with women and that men can get the disease, too. So if you’re a man and you’ve reason to suspect you could have lupus, speak to your healthcare professional. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 2 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Rider V, Abdou NI, Kimler BF, Lu N, Brown S, Fridley BL. Gender bias in human systemic lupus erythematosus: A problem of steroid receptor action?. Front Immunol. 2018;9:611. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2018.00611 Schwartzman-morris J, Putterman C. Gender differences in the pathogenesis and outcome of lupus and of lupus nephritis. Clin Dev Immunol. 2012;2012:604892. doi:10.1155/2012/604892