Rhombencephalitis with longitudinal extensive transverse myelitis in lupus: an overlap syndrome?

Abstract

A 47-year-old woman presented to the emergency department of our hospital in August, 2021, with a 2-day history of intractable nausea and vomiting (reminiscent of an area postrema syndrome) accompanied by fever and dizziness. She had previously been diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and was taking 400 mg hydroxychloroquine per day. Her last flare was an episode of class IV nephritis more than 10 years ago. On that occasion, she received pulsed methylprednisolone (1 g intravenously for 3 days) and mycophenolate mofetil (a maintenance dose of 2 g per day for 5 years).