Tuberculosis or systemic lupus erythematosus? A diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma.
The diagnosis of patients with fever of unknown origin (FUO) is often problematic because the range of possible differential diagnoses is broad. We report on a case in which a patient presented with FUO and was subsequently found to have both a collagen vascular disease and an intercurrent infection. Treatment for the collagen vascular disease with corticosteroids exacerbated the intercurrent infection. The problems in the diagnosis and management of such cases are discussed.
Mohd
Asmah
A
Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Goh
Emily M L
EM
Chow
Sook-Khuan
SK
Looi
Lai-Meng
LM
Yeap
Swan-Sim
SS
D000293:Adolescent; D003095:Collagen Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005335:Fever of Unknown Origin / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology