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, and azotemia, following arthritis and hair loss. Despite treatment, she died 10 days after hospital admission. Postmortem biopsies revealed identical granular deposits of C3 and IgG in her lungs and kidneys, suggesting a common pathogenetic mechanism in SLE-related pneumonitis and nephritis, aligning with the understanding of immune-complex diseases at the time.