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: Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune condition characterized by widespread skin fibrosis and/or end-organ damage. Previous studies have reported variable outcomes of the disease process, with males and patients of certain ethnicities suffering from the severe form of the disease leading to end-organ damage and an increase in mortality (1,2). The aim of this [...]

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:   A 29-year-old African-American female presented with two weeks of left neck swelling and fever. Over four months, she had noted fatigue, cough, night sweats, and an unintentional 12-pound weight loss. Two empiric courses of antibiotics effected no clinical change. She had no toxic habits and was sexually active with one male partner. [...]

Case Presentation: We present an unusual case of a previously healthy patient presenting with a demyelinating polyneuropathy, which was determined to be the initial presentation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).This was a 36 year-old female with an unremarkable past medical history who presented with leg weakness that progressively spread to her arms with associated tingling [...]

Case Presentation: 57-year-old male, with history of recurrent idiopathic hypothermic episodes, HFrEF on carvedilol, T2DM on no medication for 3 months, and stage 4 CKD, presented to the ED for altered mentation. Vitals were unremarkable except for hypothermia (86.4°F). Patient was hypoglycemic (62 mg/dL). WBC count was low (1.26 10^3/uL). Urine WBCs were elevated (31-50/HPF). [...]

Cardiac involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is very common. Despite the relative frequency of pericarditis and pericardial effusions which occur in more than 50% of SLE patients, cardiac tamponade is rare and is seen in less than 3%. Additionally, there have been no consistent reliable predictors of tamponade development in such patients. We report [...]

Case Presentation: A 29-year-old female with history of systemic lupus erythematous (SLE), hypertension, and cirrhosis presented to the ED with altered mental status and generalized weakness for 3 days. Physical exam revealed tachycardia, abdominal distension and tenderness, and weakness of her lower extremities. Labs showed WBC 17.2, total bilirubin 19.8, AST 106, ALT 19, and [...]

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 [...]