TY - JOUR
T1 - An interesting case of systemic lupus erythematosus presenting with hypercalcemia
T2 - A diagnostic dilemma
AU - Abdul Gafor, Abdul Halim
AU - Abdul Cader, Rizna
AU - Das, Srijit
AU - Masir, Noraidah
AU - AbdulWahid, Fadilah
PY - 2013/3/25
Y1 - 2013/3/25
N2 - Background: Hypercalcemia is common in primary hyperparathyroidism malignancies and even in tuberculosis. Interestingly, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) rarely presents with hypercalcemia. Case Report: We describe an interesting case of SLE in a patient who was otherwise thought to have either tuberculosis or a malignancy. The patient initially presented with feeling unwell, with generalized lymphadenopathy, bilater- al pleural effusion, and bilateral corneal calcium deposits secondary to severe hypercalcemia. The diagnosis of SLE was made based on positivity of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and anti-dsDNA, the presence of serositis, lymphadenopathy, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, and constitutional symptoms. She was treated with ste- roids, with tremendous improvement in her general well-being, resolution of lymphadenopathy and pleural ef- fusion, and normalization of her hemoglobin and serum calcium. The atypical presentation of SLE with hyper- calcemia with pleural effusion is discussed.Conclusions: SLE should be one of the differential diagnoses in patients presenting with severe hypercalcemia.
AB - Background: Hypercalcemia is common in primary hyperparathyroidism malignancies and even in tuberculosis. Interestingly, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) rarely presents with hypercalcemia. Case Report: We describe an interesting case of SLE in a patient who was otherwise thought to have either tuberculosis or a malignancy. The patient initially presented with feeling unwell, with generalized lymphadenopathy, bilater- al pleural effusion, and bilateral corneal calcium deposits secondary to severe hypercalcemia. The diagnosis of SLE was made based on positivity of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and anti-dsDNA, the presence of serositis, lymphadenopathy, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, and constitutional symptoms. She was treated with ste- roids, with tremendous improvement in her general well-being, resolution of lymphadenopathy and pleural ef- fusion, and normalization of her hemoglobin and serum calcium. The atypical presentation of SLE with hyper- calcemia with pleural effusion is discussed.Conclusions: SLE should be one of the differential diagnoses in patients presenting with severe hypercalcemia.
KW - Atypical presentation
KW - Hypercalcemia
KW - Systemic lupus erythematosus
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U2 - 10.12659/AJCR.883849
DO - 10.12659/AJCR.883849
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84875644916
SN - 1941-5923
VL - 14
SP - 83
EP - 85
JO - American Journal of Case Reports
JF - American Journal of Case Reports
ER -