Diagnostic Pitfalls in a Man with Systemic Lupus Erythematous

• Main Authors: Andrei Cristian Dan Gheorghe, Andreea Simona Hodorogea, Cristina Elena Georgescu, Ana Ciobanu, Ioan Tiberiu Nanea, Gabriela Silvia Gheorghe
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: SMC MEDIA SRL 2019-11-01
• Series: European Journal of Case Reports in Internal Medicine
• Subjects: systemic lupus erythematous; antiphospholipid antibodies; aptt
• Online Access: https://www.ejcrim.com/index.php/EJCRIM/article/view/1256

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic multi-systemic immune-mediated disease with confusing symptoms and delayed diagnosis. We report the case of a 32-year-old man with a persistent Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL)-positive reaction treated for syphilis 5 years previously, who was admitted for rash, weight loss, pancytopenia, inflammatory syndrome, and an important spontaneous prolongation of activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT). Antiphospholipid antibodies were identified in the patient and he was diagnosed with SLE. The unrecognized false positive VDRL reaction and the delayed diagnosis of SLE were harmful as the patient had developed renal and cardiac complications by the time of diagnosis.