A case of severe neonatal lupus erythematosus without cardiac or cutaneous involvement.
Neonatal lupus erythematosus is a disease primarily characterized by cardiac and/or cutaneous involvement. Liver and haematological involvement occur in a few cases and these are normally considered to be mild and transient complications. The disease is suspected to be caused by transplacental passage of maternal autoantibodies, primarily anti-Ro/SSA and anti-La/SSB, from mothers with systemic lupus erythematosus. Here we report a child with neonatal lupus erythematosus who died from severe liver and haematological disease when 2 d old. The baby had no cardiac or cutaneous involvement. The mother has had two subsequent pregnancies. In the first she had a boy without certain signs of neonatal lupus erythematosus. In the next pregnancy the child developed congenital complete heart block and cutaneous lesions.
Selander
B
B
Department of Paediatrics, Central Hospital, Kristianstad, Sweden.
Cedergren
S
S
Domanski
H
H
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000032:analysis; D002585:Cesarean Section; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008178:Lupus Erythematosus, Cutaneous / Q000175:diagnosis; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000151:congenital* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis*
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear