Case Presentation: A 17 y.o. female with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) presented with several weeks of worsening migratory polyarthralgia, as well as sporadic fevers, night sweats, and chills. Prednisone was begun 3 weeks prior for a presumed SLE flare, given elevated anti double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and hematuria, but provided no [...]

Background: The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been profound, with significant disparities in infection and mortality rates, particularly in high-risk populations. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease that complicates patient management in the context of COVID-19, given the increased risk of infections and limited guidance on pharmacological management. Methods: This [...]

Background: The Antinuclear Antibody test (ANA) is a test often positive in patients with autoimmune rheumatologic disorders. However, ANA testing can also be positive in non-rheumatic conditions and in healthy individuals1. Prior studies have focused on the clinical utility of positive ANA testing in the outpatient setting by non-rheumatologists, but less is known about its [...]

Case Presentation: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), commonly known as lupus, is a multifaceted autoimmune disorder characterized by a myriad of clinical manifestations, including but not limited to fatigue, joint pain and swelling, and malar rash. Although a common cardiac manifestation of SLE is pericarditis, often accompanied by pericardial effusion, pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is not [...]

Case Presentation: A 40 year-old female with previous out of state hospitalizations for MDD and bipolar disorder with psychotic features presented with disorganized thoughts, withdrawn affect and depression at the behest of her family. Psychiatric evaluation noted echolalia, negativism, withdrawal and poor PO intake. A diagnosis of severe depression with catatonic features was made and [...]

Case Presentation: A 31-year-old woman, G2P1A0, 32 weeks pregnant, with a history of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), presented with a gradual onset of worsening abdominal wall, genitalia, and bilateral lower extremity swelling. Upon admission, the workup revealed nephrotic-range proteinuria, normal renal function, and elevated anti-dsDNA. A lower extremity ultrasound showed no evidence of deep vein [...]

Case Presentation: A 57-year-old Honduran male with no past medical history presented with two weeks of recurrent fevers, dyspnea, bilateral blurred vision, and pain in his low back, flank, and abdomen. Chest X-ray revealed a round opacity over the right lower lung. CT chest, abdomen, and pelvis showed patchy consolidation in the right lower lobe [...]

Case Presentation: A 13-year-old previously healthy boy presented to the emergency department with 1 day of jaundice and scleral icterus as well as acute on chronic progressive abdominal pain. Review of systems was notable for unintentional 5 kg weight loss over the past year, fatigue, oral ulcers, Raynaud’s phenomenon, and gross hematuria. He had no [...]

Case Presentation: A 26-year-old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) of ten years (status post renal transplant complicated by secondary acute rejection) presented to the Emergency Department with a week and a half of bilateral lower extremity edema and nausea. The patient’s lower extremity edema began nine days prior to admission and was slowly worsening. [...]

Case Presentation: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is known for its diverse clinical presentations. We present the case of a 41-year-old African American male prisoner with an initial presentation featuring bilateral submandibular, sublingual, and parotid swelling with concurrent facial angioedema and fever. The patient was presumed to have Ludwig’s Angina, yet initial treatment with broad spectrum [...]