An Acutely Unwell and Rare Presentation of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Case Report

This case report describes a rare acute presentation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in a 48-year-old Thai woman, highlighting the challenges in diagnosing SLE during acute admissions. The patient presented with symptoms resembling a viral illness, including tachycardia, hypotension, hypoxia, and acute kidney injury, alongside serositis and E. coli bacteremia. Despite the complexity of her symptoms, she was diagnosed with SLE using the SLICC criteria and treated with high-dose steroids and antibiotics, leading to significant improvement. The report emphasizes the importance of considering autoimmune diseases like SLE in patients with multisystem involvement and the benefits of early recognition and treatment to improve outcomes.