title: Systemic and discoid lupus erythematosus in HIV-infected patients treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy.
abstract: Although HIV infection is often associated with several rheumatic diseases, the coexistence of this retroviral infection and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is extremely uncommon. Generally, HIV-related immunosuppression improves SLE symptoms, and antiretroviral therapy may lead to an autoimmune disease flare subsequent to the increase of circulating CD4+ cell number. Two HIV-infected female patients with SLE and discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) diagnosed a few months after the highly active antiretroviral therapy initiation, are described. To our knowledge, this is the second case of DLE and the twenty-seventh case of SLE reported to date in association with HIV infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Bologna, S. Orsola Hospital, Italy. malinf@med.unibo.it
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Calza
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Manfredi
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Colangeli
authors.forename: Antonietta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Antuono
authors.forename: Beatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Passarini
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chiodo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008179:Lupus Erythematosus, Discoid / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis