Abdominal Pain as the Initial and Sole Clinical Presenting Feature of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. (1st February 2003)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chung, Henry V; Ramji, Alnoor; Davis, Jennifer E; Chang, Sylvia; Reid, Graham D; Salh, Baljinder; Freeman, Hugh J; Yoshida, Eric M
• Is Part Of: Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology. Volume 17:Number 2(2003)
• Page Start: 111
• Page End: 113
• Publication Date: 2003-02-01
• Subjects: Abdominal pain -- System lupus erythematosus
• DOI: 10.1155/2003/768184
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0835-7900

Abstract

Abstract : Classically, a diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is dependent on renal, rheumatological, cutaneous and neurological target organ damage with supporting serological markers. A previously healthy 26-year-old Japanese woman whose only manifestation of otherwise occult SLE was severe abdominal pain is reported. A computed tomographic scan of the abdomen revealed thickened loops of small bowel, endoscopic findings were nonspecific and jejunal biopsy revealed a nonspecific enteritis. Laboratory studies revealed lymphopenia, hypocomplementemia, a positive antinuclear antibody, a weakly positive anti-Smith and a strongly positive anti-double stranded DNA. There was a prompt symptomatic recovery with immunosuppressive therapy. The authors' experiences, and a review of the literature suggest that a diagnosis of SLE should be considered in young Asian women who present with significant but clinically enigmatic gastrointestinal illness.