Clinical dilemma of acute abdomen in patients with systemic lupuserythematosus: A case report

• Main Author: Ali Ghavidel
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tabriz University of Medical Sciences 2017-06-01
• Series: Journal of Analytical Research in Clinical Medicine
• Subjects: Rheumatologic Peritonitis; Peritonitis; Acute Abdomen
• Online Access: http://journals.tbzmed.ac.ir/JARCM/Manuscript/JARCM-5-69.pdf

Introduction: Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms and signs may be seen in approximately one third ofpatients with rheumatologic disorders as primary presentation. Some of these findings may benondiagnostic and may be clinical diagnostic challenge. GI tract involvement by systemic lupuserythematosus (SLE) must be differentiated from adverse drug reactions of treatment agents.Abdominal pain, associated with nausea and vomiting, is seen in up to 30 percent of patients withSLE. The cause of abdominal pain does not differ significantly from that in patients without lupus.Special attention should be given to conditions that may accompany lupus such as lupus peritonitisand infection. Lupus peritonitis is very unusual clinical finding and it is worth reporting.Case Report: Our patient was a young female with definite rheumatologic disorders with acuteabdomen as the dominant clinical finding. Imaging findings confirmed peritoneum and smallintestine involvement. Paraclinical work-up including blood analysis confirmed SLE. She wasmanaged with prednisone and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents, and discharged withpartial improvement.Conclusion: This case report shows that patients with symptoms consistent with acute abdomen inSLE remind us a clinical dilemma. There have been few reports of acute abdomen in patients withSLE in the literature. And more case reports are needed.