title: A case of systemic lupus erythematosus complicated by pure red cell aplasia and idiopathic portal hypertension after thymectomy.
abstract: We describe a 49-year-old woman who presented in 2002 with pure red cell aplasia (PRCA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and idiopathic portal hypertension (IPH) that developed following a thymectomy. She underwent a thymectomy at 40 years of age to treat myasthenia gravis. PRCA developed 3 years after the thymectomy and she was successfully treated with cyclosporin. Systemic lupus erythematosus and IPH were diagnosed 6 years later. We conclude that immunological dysfunction resulting from the thymectomy contributed significantly to the subsequent development of PRCA, SLE, and IPH in this patient. This is the first report to describe this extremely rare occurrence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine II, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, 1 Hikarigaoka, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan. haru-i@fmu.ac.jp
authors.forename: Haruyo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Iwadate
authors.forename: Hiroko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Kiori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shio
authors.forename: Etsuko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Noguchi
authors.forename: Kenya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Tomomi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sasajima
authors.forename: Hideharu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sekine
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Hiromasa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohira
authors.forename: Katsutoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Obara
authors.forename: Yukio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sato
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006975:Hypertension, Portal / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012010:Red-Cell Aplasia, Pure / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D015911:Sclerotherapy; D013934:Thymectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D011239:Prednisolone