Successful treatment using cyclosporine in a patient with rhupus complicated by aplastic anemia: a case report and review of the literature

CER4276
2011 Vol.29, N°4
PI 0708, PF 0711
Case Reports

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PMID: 21813067 [PubMed]

Received: 01/11/2010
Accepted : 08/03/2011
In Press: 01/09/2011
Published: 01/09/2011

Abstract

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) co-morbid with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is known as `Rhupus syndrome` and is estimated to be present in between 0.01 and 2% of SLE and RA patients. The occurrence of aplastic anaemia in a patient with rhupus is very rare and a treatment for this condition has not been reported. A 52-year-old woman presented complaining of nausea and dizziness during the preceding month. She had been treated for rheumatoid arthritis for 16 years. At the time of presentation, she had a malar rash, multiple arthritis, pancytopenia, pleural effusion, proteinuria, and positive anti-nuclear and anti-dsDNA antibodies. A kidney biopsy revealed ISN/RPS class IV-G (A) lupus nephritis. Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy showed aplastic anaemia with no evidence of viral infection. The patient was successfully treated using cyclosporine and prednisolone and she remained symptom-free at the one-and-a-half-year follow-up. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a successful treatment using cyclosporine in a patient with rhupus complicated by aplastic anaemia.