A Rare Case of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Manifesting as Genital Ulcers.

Abstract

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease affecting multiple organ systems. In this report, we discuss the case of a patient with a history of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), hypothyroidism, SLE, and Crohn's disease (CD) who presented to the emergency room with fever, burning micturition, abdominal pain, and perineal ulcers. Upon subsequent treatment for urinary tract infections (UTI) and negative evaluations for an infectious cause of genital ulcers like sexually transmitted diseases, the etiology of ulcers was found to be SLE. This case report highlights the importance of including SLE ulcers in the differential diagnosis when an SLE patient presents with genital ulcers and the importance of ruling out an SLE vs. infection or non-infection as the cause of ulcers in a former SLE patient.