Lupus Pneumonitis Masquerading as Pulmonary Tuberculosis: A Case Study

    January 2015 in “ Journal of Arthritis ”
    Prasanta Kumar Bhattacharya, Aakash Roy, Md Jamil, Monaliza Lyngdoh
    TLDR Lupus pneumonitis can mimic tuberculosis and should be considered in diagnoses.
    An 18-year-old girl with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) presented with symptoms mimicking pulmonary tuberculosis, including cough, fever, and haemoptysis. Despite initial treatment with antibiotics and anti-tubercular therapy, she did not improve. Further tests revealed positive anti-nuclear antibodies and ds DNA, nephrotic range proteinuria, and chest imaging indicative of lupus pneumonitis (LP). She responded dramatically to corticosteroids. This case highlighted the importance of considering SLE and LP in differential diagnoses, even in regions where tuberculosis is common.
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