Korean J Med.  2002 Jan;62(1):100-103.

A Nocardial infection in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus

• Lee JS
• Lee YH
• Cho SJ
• Ji JD
• Song GG

Abstract

Nocardiosis is a rare opportunistic infection and only sporadic cases were reported in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We report a case of a nocardial infection in a patient with SLE. A 37-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of general weakness and edema. She had been diagnosed as SLE in 1995 and was diagnosed as lupus nephritis (class IV, diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis) in 1999, but had refused the treatment for SLE. After admission, she was diagnosed as active SLE with lupus nephritis based on clinical and laboratory findings. She was treated with methylprednisolone pulse (1 gx3 days) and cyclophosphamide pulse (750 mg) therapy followed by daily high dose oral prednisone (60 mg) and plasmapheresis (7 times). On 32 days after admission, chest radiograph revealed a massive pleural effusion. The pleural fluid was exudate and cultures for bacteria, fungi and tubercle bacilli were negative and pleural biopsy showed mesothelial thickening. The thoracentesis was done (1 L), but the effusion recurred within 3 days. Further four thoracentesis and thoracostomy were performed due to recurrent massive pleural effusion. On 60 days after admission, thoracostomy tube was removed, but 4 days later, fever occurred and Nocardia asteroides was cultured in pleural fluid. Treatment with oral trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX, 160~800 mg) was started. After treatment with TMP-SMX, the pleural effusion decreased. On 76 days after admision, she was discharged and maintained on TMP-SMX (80~400 mg) for another 12 months. At present, her SLE activity is on control and has no pleural effusion.

Keyword

Systemic lupus erythematosus; Nocardia asteroides; Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole

MeSH Terms

Adult
Bacteria
Biopsy
Cyclophosphamide
Edema
Exudates and Transudates
Female
Fever
Fungi
Humans
Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic*
Lupus Nephritis
Methylprednisolone
Nocardia asteroides
Nocardia Infections
Opportunistic Infections
Plasmapheresis
Pleural Effusion
Prednisone
Radiography, Thoracic
Thoracostomy
Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination
Cyclophosphamide
Methylprednisolone
Prednisone