The autoerythrocyte sensitization syndrome as the primarymanifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract

GARDNER AND DIAMOND 1 first described the autoerythrocyte sensitization syndrome in four adult women who had the sudden onset of spontaneous, painful purpura. They found that the skin of the affected individuals reacted to injection of packed red blood cells or red blood cell stroma with similar painful purpura. Later investigations have focused either on the abnormal skin response to red cell Components = or on the abnormal psychiatric evaluation Of these patients, a, 4 Routine laboratory tests have been uniformly normal. I n one report, the syndrome was described in association w{th an immune complex nephritis? AES has been rarely noted in childhood. This report describes an l l -year-old girl who presented with the characteristic clinical findings of AES; however, further labora tory testing indicated a diagnosis of sy stemic lupus erythematosus.