Immunohistologic Findings in the Lung in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

A 29-year-old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) experienced severe symptoms, including dyspnea, hemoptysis, pleuropericarditis, azotemia, arthritis, and progressive hair loss, and despite treatment, she died shortly after hospital admission. Postmortem immunohistologic analysis revealed identical granular deposits of C3 and IgG in her lungs and kidneys, indicating a common pathogenetic mechanism in the development of pneumonitis and nephritis in SLE. This supported the understanding of SLE as an immune-complex disease.