Severe lupus enteritis, diagnosis and treatment journey: case report

Abstract

Gastrointestinal system involvement is reported in a patient diagnosed with severe Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). Lupus enteritis is quite uncommon and characterized by presence of abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. The main pathological insult arises from inflammation of mesenteric vascular territories. Diagnosis of lupus enteritis is dependent basically on clinical, biochemical, serological and radiological features and one needs to rule out other differentials like infectious process or medications' side effects. The most critical step in management is to exclude acute surgical condition followed by supportive measures, antibiotics and immunosuppressive drugs. In this report, we will discuss a case of a patient diagnosed with SLE through the gate of lupus enteritis.

Key words: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Lupus Enteritis, Gastrointestinal system, Female, Saudi Arabia