[A case of SLE associated with antiphospholipid syndrome and mitral stenosis]

Abstract

This case involves a 41-year-old woman with SLE. The patient began having symptoms of arthralgia in 1978 and developed fever, pleuritis and lupus psychosis in 1986. Laboratory exams showed positive antinuclear-antibody, LE-cell phenomenon, hypocomplementemia and lupus anticoagulant. Echo cardiography demonstrated mitral regurgitation and stenosis. She was treated with 50 mg of prednisolone and these manifestations subsided. In 1989, she developed dyspnea on exertion and echo cardiography revealed severe mitral stenosis. Pulmonary infarction was detected by MAA lung scintigraphy. At this time, she was diagnosed as SLE associated with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). A mitral valvular replacement operation was performed in 1991. Pathological studies of mitral valve demonstrated Libman Sacks endocarditis. APS is known occasionally to complicate with left-sided valvular diseases, mitral stenosis is quite rare in both SLE and APS. This patient reveals a rare case of SLE associated with APS and mitral stenosis. It is suggested that this patient developed mitral stenosis with Libman Sacks endocarditis, associated with the presence of antibody against phospholipids.