Intestinal pseudo-obstruction as a presenting manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus: case report and review of the literature

Abstract

A case of intestinal pseudo-obstruction as a presenting manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus is presented. Systemic lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disease with a wide spectrum of unpredictable multisystemic presentations. A case of systemic lupus erythematosus that was diagnosed in a patient whose initial presentation for the disease was acute renal failure, hydronephrosis, intestinal pseudo-obstruction, and false-positive syphilis serologies is presented. There have been 18 other cases of intestinal pseudo-obstruction associated with systemic lupus erythematosus to date in the English literature. A variety of gastrointestinal syndromes have been increasingly recognized as possible manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus, and this case illustrates in particular that intestinal pseudo-obstruction may be a presenting manifestation of this disorder.