Lupus/SLE Treatment- Facts about systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) SLE is an autoimmune disorder. Unusual antibody formation in the blood is a sign of SLE. In women compared to men, SLE occurs eight times more frequently. Acute and ongoing inflammation of several body tissues is a symptom of the autoimmune disease lupus. When the body’s own immune system attacks its own tissues, autoimmune diseases emerge.