title: Opportunistic infections mimicking gastrointestinal vasculitis in systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus who are on chronic immunosuppressive therapy are at risk for developing infectious complications. We present 2 cases of immunosuppressed patients with systemic lupus erythematosus who presented with abdominal complaints without other systemic lupus symptoms. These patients were initially thought to have gastrointestinal vasculitis based on preliminary pathologic reports; however, further workup and careful review of the pathologic specimens confirmed an opportunistic infection as the etiology in each case. It is critical that physicians maintain a high index of suspicion for infection when treating immunocompromised patients with systemic lupus erythematosus with abdominal complaints to avoid delay in appropriate treatment.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Mount Sinai Medical Center, NY, USA. jendiep@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Jenny Tien
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Diep
authors.forename: Leslie Dubin
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Kerr
authors.forename: Shikha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sarebahi
authors.forename: Mikhail
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tismenetsky
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016360:Clostridioides difficile; D003092:Colitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D003587:Cytomegalovirus; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D015269:Mycobacterium avium Complex; D015270:Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare Infection / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D014657:Vasculitis / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents