Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and the Vasculitides

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem, autoimmune disorder that poses a challenge to the emergency physician with its protean and occasionally dangerous manifestations. Morbidity for SLE patients is typically mediated through organ inflammation and destruction or the consequences of therapeutic immunosuppression. Further complicating lupus is the frequent association with the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) and its corresponding venous and arterial thromboses. The diagnostic criteria reflective of its complexity and immunologic basis were first described in 1971. Today, the emergency department (ED) is a common venue for the evaluation and treatment of patients suffering from SLE.