Intestinal Ischemia in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Bowel ischemia, an uncommon but devastating complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), poses a significant clinical challenge. A 52-year-old female with SLE presented with recurrent abdominal pain for two months which culminated in acute, severe pain with vomiting. Abdominal CT scan revealed ischemia of multiple segments of bowel. She responded slowly to methylprednisolone alone and eventually responded to methylprednisolone combined with cyclophosphamide. A high index of suspicion for bowel ischemia is required in patients with SLE presenting with acute abdominal pain.