Abstract
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem, autoimmune chronic connective tissue disorder characterized by a broad spectrum of clinical presentations [1] which may be associated to a secondary Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS) [2].
Highlights
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem, autoimmune chronic connective tissue disorder characterized by a broad spectrum of clinical presentations [1] which may be associated to a secondary Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS) [2]
We report on a case of fatal cardiac involvement in a male patient with a long-standing SLE history
SLE is characterized by multisystem microvascular inflammation with the generation of many autoantibodies, Anti-Nuclear Antibodies (ANA), Extractable Nuclear Antigen (ENA), including Ro, La, Sm, RNP, Scl-70 and Jo1, Antiphospholipid Antibodies
Summary
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic connective tissue disorder, found to be associated in up to 40% of cases to a secondary Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS). SLE has a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations, ranging from mild to potentially lifethreating conditions. Renal, central nervous system or cardiac manifestations have been described as having a worse prognosis. SLE cardiac involvement alone is rarely responsible for patients’ death, the mortality risk significantly increases when an APS is associated, making myocardial infarction and pulmonary embolism the main causes of morbidity and mortality in this group of patients. We report on a case of fatal cardiac involvement in a male patient with a long-standing SLE history, whose post-mortem revealed a pulmonary thromboembolism likely due to a seronegative antiphospholipid syndrome
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