Shrinking Lung Syndrome in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Department of Internal Medicine. La Rabta.University Hospital

Monia SMITI KHANFIR¹, Nabil BEL FEKI^1, , Fatma SAID¹, Amira HAMZAOUI¹, Thouraya BEN SALEM¹, Imed BEN GHORBEL¹, Mounir LAMLOUM¹ and Mohamed Habib Houman¹

¹Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of la Rabta, Tunis, Tunisia

Cite this paper:
Monia SMITI KHANFIR, Nabil BEL FEKI, Fatma SAID, Amira HAMZAOUI, Thouraya BEN SALEM, Imed BEN GHORBEL, Mounir LAMLOUM and Mohamed Habib Houman. Shrinking Lung Syndrome in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Department of Internal Medicine. La Rabta.University Hospital. American Journal of Medical Case Reports. 2015; 3(3):66-68. doi: 10.12691/ajmcr-3-3-4

Abstract

In systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the respiratory system is frequently compromised. One of its uncommon manifestations is the shrinking lung syndrome (SLS), characterized by unexplained dyspnea, a restrictive pattern on pulmonary function tests, and an elevated hemidiaphragm. The pathogenesis of the SLS remains unknown. We report three consecutive cases of women with systemic lupus erythematosus, aged 32, 33, and 35 years. Clinical features included dyspnea and chest pain. Onset of the SLS manifestations occurred in the absence of a SLE flare, in patients treated with low dose of corticosteroids. Diagnosis was based on clinical and laboratory patterns, particularly chest RMI showing basilar atelectasis, elevated diaphragms, and small lung volumes in two cases. Corticosteroid treatment induced improvement in the three cases and no relapse was noted. Clinical, laboratory, physiopathological, and therapeutic aspects of this syndrome are reviewed, particularly RMI findings, never discussed in previous studies.

Keywords:
systemic lupus erythematosus shrinking lung syndrome magnetic resonance imagery

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