Woman with Rhupus Syndrome: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Rheumatoid Arthritis
July 2017
TLDR A 29-year-old woman with symptoms of both lupus and rheumatoid arthritis improved with specific medications.
The document described a rare case of Rhupus syndrome, where a 29-year-old woman exhibited symptoms of both Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). She had symmetric polyarthritis, hair loss, recurrent oral ulcers, and a malar rash. Laboratory tests confirmed anemia, thrombocytopenia, and the presence of specific autoantibodies. Radiographs showed erosive polyarthritis. Treatment with methyl prednisolone, methotrexate, calcium, and folic acid led to clinical remission. The discussion highlighted that symmetric polyarthritis is common in young patients with SLE and RA, and the diagnosis was based on ACR/EULAR criteria for RA and ACR 1997 criteria for SLE. Treatment typically involves systemic corticosteroids and DMARDs.
