Objective To analyze the cause of death and related factors of death of SLE,to explore the method of reducing mortality rate. Methods 31 death cases of hospitalized patients with SLE were analyzed retrospectively, and investigated the relations between the causes of death and clinical related factors. Results The mortality rate of patients in this group was 9.7% ,26 cases( 83.9% )were dead of organ lesion which was caused by SLE ,5 cases( 16.1% )were dead of infection. The clinical related factors for the death of these patients were long time diagnostic errors, failing to promptly adjust the immunosuppressive therapy according to the disease,poor treatment compliance etc. Conclusion The main cause of death of patients in this group is still the organ lesion caused by SLE, the reason is immunosuppressive therapy relatively conservative. Early diagnosis, timely and reasonable immunosuppressive therapy, positive patients education and enhancing patient's treatment compliance can improve the survival rate of SLE.