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Coronary artery disease in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Nature Clinical Practice Rheumatology volume 1, pages 55–59 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

Background A 24-year-old woman with an 11-year history of systemic lupus erythematosus presented with exacerbation of chronic abdominal pain followed by substernal chest pain. She had a history of pericarditis secondary to systemic lupus erythematosus and of varicella-zoster reactivation secondary to immunosuppression. Long-term medications included prednisolone, hydroxychloroquine, aspirin, and mycophenolate mofetil.

Investigations Physical examination, mesenteric angiography, CT of the abdomen, esophagogastroduodenoscopy, colonoscopy, pelvic ultrasound, laboratory testing, serologic testing, cardiac echocardiography, electrocardiography and coronary angiography.

Diagnosis Acute myocardial infarction secondary to severe multivessel atherosclerotic coronary artery disease.

Management Intra-aortic balloon pump followed by emergent four-vessel coronary artery bypass grafting. Aspirin, hydroxychloroquine, and mycophenolate mofetil were continued and a judicious tapering of prednisolone was initiated.

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Acknowledgements

Written consent for publication was obtained from the patient reported in this Case Study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinical Instructor of Medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at University California, Los Angeles, USA

    Michael Galindo

  2. Fellow in the Division of Immunology and Rheumatology,

    Lorinda Chung, Seth D Crockett & Eliza F Chakravarty

  3. Resident Physician in Internal Medicine and EF Chakravarty is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Immunology and Rheumatology at Stanford University, Stanford, USA

    Lorinda Chung, Seth D Crockett & Eliza F Chakravarty

Authors
  1. Michael Galindo
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  2. Lorinda Chung
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  4. Eliza F Chakravarty
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Correspondence to Eliza F Chakravarty.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Galindo, M., Chung, L., Crockett, S. et al. Coronary artery disease in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Nat Rev Rheumatol 1, 55–59 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncprheum0037

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