Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Risk: The Role of Environmental Factors

Jia Li Liu; Jennifer M P Woo; Christine G Parks; Karen H Costenbader; Søren Jacobsen; Sasha Bernatsky

doi:10.1016/j.rdc.2022.06.005

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Risk: The Role of Environmental Factors

Rheum Dis Clin North Am. 2022 Nov;48(4):827-843. doi: 10.1016/j.rdc.2022.06.005. Epub 2022 Oct 1.

Authors

Jia Li Liu¹, Jennifer M P Woo², Christine G Parks², Karen H Costenbader³, Søren Jacobsen⁴, Sasha Bernatsky⁵

Affiliations

¹ McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
² Epidemiology Branch, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
³ Division of Rheumatology, Inflammation and Immunity, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
⁴ Copenhagen Lupus and Vasculitis Clinic, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark.
⁵ Centre for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Electronic address: sasha.bernatsky@mcgill.ca.

PMID: 36332998
DOI: 10.1016/j.rdc.2022.06.005

Abstract

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex, chronic autoimmune disease. The etiology of SLE is multifactorial and includes potential environmental triggers, which may occur sequentially (the "multi-hit" hypothesis). This review focuses on SLE risk potentially associated with environmental factors including infections, the microbiome, diet, respirable exposures (eg, crystalline silica, smoking, air pollution), organic pollutants, heavy metals, and ultraviolet radiation.

Keywords: Environmental triggers; Infections; Microbiome; Pollution; Smoking; Systemic lupus erythematosus.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Environmental Exposure* / adverse effects
Humans
Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic* / epidemiology
Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic* / etiology
Risk Factors
Smoking
Ultraviolet Rays / adverse effects