Lupus Nephritis in a Patient with Sickle Cell Disease

Introduction. The diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) can be difficult to establish because the musculoskeletal, central nervous system, and renal manifestations are similar in both diseases. In the presented case, we highlight the diagnostic ch...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Vinay Minocha, Fauzia Rana
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2013-01-01
Series:Case Reports in Hematology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/907950
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849469537928347648
author Vinay Minocha
Fauzia Rana
author_facet Vinay Minocha
Fauzia Rana
author_sort Vinay Minocha
collection DOAJ
description Introduction. The diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) can be difficult to establish because the musculoskeletal, central nervous system, and renal manifestations are similar in both diseases. In the presented case, we highlight the diagnostic challenge that can evolve in patients with a concurrence of both diseases and we establish the importance of early recognition and treatment of lupus nephritis in patients with SCD. Case Presentation. We present a case of a 31-year-old African American female with sickle-C disease (hemoglobin SC) who was admitted to our hospital with complaints of periumbilical abdominal pain associated with intractable nausea and vomiting, abdominal distension, and worsening lower extremity edema. Urine studies revealed nephrotic range proteinuria and the immunological investigations were consistent with lupus. A renal biopsy revealed focal proliferative lupus nephritis. Conclusion. It is important to consider the presence of a coexisting autoimmune disease in a patient with sickle hemoglobinopathy who displays an atypical and multisystem presentation that is unresponsive to conventional therapies. When a significant kidney disease is present, a renal biopsy is critical in identifying the etiology of a renal abnormality in the setting of coexisting SLE and SCD.
format Article
id doaj-art-fd7c2cc3be414ae2bd4b3153c601cda5
institution Kabale University
issn 2090-6560
2090-6579
language English
publishDate 2013-01-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Case Reports in Hematology
spelling doaj-art-fd7c2cc3be414ae2bd4b3153c601cda52025-08-20T03:25:26ZengWileyCase Reports in Hematology2090-65602090-65792013-01-01201310.1155/2013/907950907950Lupus Nephritis in a Patient with Sickle Cell DiseaseVinay Minocha0Fauzia Rana1Department of Internal Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, USADepartment of Oncology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, USAIntroduction. The diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) can be difficult to establish because the musculoskeletal, central nervous system, and renal manifestations are similar in both diseases. In the presented case, we highlight the diagnostic challenge that can evolve in patients with a concurrence of both diseases and we establish the importance of early recognition and treatment of lupus nephritis in patients with SCD. Case Presentation. We present a case of a 31-year-old African American female with sickle-C disease (hemoglobin SC) who was admitted to our hospital with complaints of periumbilical abdominal pain associated with intractable nausea and vomiting, abdominal distension, and worsening lower extremity edema. Urine studies revealed nephrotic range proteinuria and the immunological investigations were consistent with lupus. A renal biopsy revealed focal proliferative lupus nephritis. Conclusion. It is important to consider the presence of a coexisting autoimmune disease in a patient with sickle hemoglobinopathy who displays an atypical and multisystem presentation that is unresponsive to conventional therapies. When a significant kidney disease is present, a renal biopsy is critical in identifying the etiology of a renal abnormality in the setting of coexisting SLE and SCD.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/907950
spellingShingle Vinay Minocha
Fauzia Rana
Lupus Nephritis in a Patient with Sickle Cell Disease
Case Reports in Hematology
title Lupus Nephritis in a Patient with Sickle Cell Disease
title_full Lupus Nephritis in a Patient with Sickle Cell Disease
title_fullStr Lupus Nephritis in a Patient with Sickle Cell Disease
title_full_unstemmed Lupus Nephritis in a Patient with Sickle Cell Disease
title_short Lupus Nephritis in a Patient with Sickle Cell Disease
title_sort lupus nephritis in a patient with sickle cell disease
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/907950
work_keys_str_mv AT vinayminocha lupusnephritisinapatientwithsicklecelldisease
AT fauziarana lupusnephritisinapatientwithsicklecelldisease