However, the death rate among lupus patients remains four times higher than the general population of the same age.
For this reason fetuses of pregnant women with this antibody profile are closely monitored, usually with fetal electro- or echocardiograms, neither of which requires needles or other invasive procedure.
It is also the first new and effective treatment for it in 50 years.
Because lupus autoantibodies give the same signal and activate complement, measurement of complement can be used to monitor lupus.