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Case Reports
. 2019 Jul;98(28):e16397.
doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000016397.

Aorta coarctation and systemic lupus erythematosus: A case report

Jiarong Li  1 , Xuan Wang  1 , Huali Zhang  2 , Wei Wang  3 , Yigang Pei  4 , Tingting Xie  1 , Wei Lin  1 , Xiaoxia Zuo  1 , Weiru Zhang  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Aorta coarctation and systemic lupus erythematosus: A case report

Jiarong Li et al. Medicine (Baltimore). 2019 Jul.

Abstract

Rationale: Vasculitis is one of the common pathological hallmarks of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Vascular lesions in SLE commonly involve medium- and small-sized vessels. Rarely, vasculitis in SLE may involve large vessels such as the aorta leading to life-threatening complications. Reported cases of large vessel lesions in SLE included aortic aneurysm and aortic dissection.

Patient concerns: Here, we report a 52-year-old Chinese woman with SLE, who was stable on oral glucocorticoid, but showed sudden intractable hypertension and heavy proteinuria before we found aorta coarctation in her computed tomography (CT) scan of the aorta.

Diagnoses: This patient's large vascular lesions were likely secondary and not a primary manifestation of lupus activity.

Interventions and outcomes: After endovascular stent graft repair of the abdominal aorta, her hypertension and proteinuria were controlled.

Lessons: In the context of reported cases of large vessel lesions in SLE, our case further supports the significance of having a wide differential for vascular lesions in SLE, especially when an SLE patient presents sudden hypertension and heavy proteinuria. This case also demonstrates that vascular lesions in SLE may lead to serious, potentially fatal consequences.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(A) CT scan of the aorta before the surgery showing abdominal aorta coarctation. (B) CT scan of the aorta after the surgery showing dilated aorta. CT = computed tomography.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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