title: Concurrent presentation of cryptococcal meningoencephalitis and systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: Cryptococcal meningitis is a recognized complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), with high mortality rates, particularly in those treated with immunosuppressive agents. We describe a patient diagnosed simultaneously with cryptococcal meningoencephalitis and SLE and reviewed four similar cases reported in the literature. In our case, profound low CD4 lymphocyte count and low complement levels were observed. The patient was treated with prednisolone, fluconazole, and 5-flucytosine and evinced good clinical improvement. This case suggests that intrinsic immunological abnormality related to SLE predisposed to opportunistic infections.
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Medical Education, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medicine, Takara-machi 13-1, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-8641, Japan. mmatsu@spacelan.ne.jp
authors.forename: Masami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsumura
authors.forename: Rika
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kawamura
authors.forename: Ryo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Kazunori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Mitsuhiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawano
authors.forename: Masakazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamagishi
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000276:immunology; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D016919:Meningitis, Cryptococcal / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology