A CASE REPORT ON SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS PRESENTING WITH ACUTE ABDOMINAL PAIN AND THE ROLE OF IMAGING IN LUPUS MESENTERIC VASCULITIS

Acute abdominal pain is seen during the active phase in around 8-40% of SLE patients. Lupus mesenteric vasculitis (LMV) is one of the common causes of acute abdomen in SLE patients; however, it is an uncommon condition with a global prevalence of 0.2-9.7%. Clinical symptoms and laboratory parameters are non-specific in the diagnosis of LMV. Nevertheless, radiological investigations like ultrasonography and computed tomography play a role in narrowing down the differential diagnosis and excluding other non SLE causes of acute pain abdomen and aids in the management of the patient.

A case of systemic lupus erythematosus with rectal necrosis

Lupus mesenteric vasculitis is one of the most devastating complications of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and may lead to a spectrum of complications, including ulceration, haemorrhage, bowel necrosis, perforation, serositis and ascites. Among such complications, intestinal necrosis and intestinal perforation are the most serious. Rectal necrosis is a rare manifestation of SLE, with only two case reports in the English literature. Here, we report the case of a 59-year-old male patient with SLE complicated by rectal necrosis that was initially misdiagnosed as acne and rectal tumours. After two surgeries and the addition of immunosuppressive therapy, the patient was eventually cured and discharged.