Fatal Cardiac Involvement in Systemic Erythematosus Lupus and Seronegative Antiphospholipid Syndrome: A Case Report

Abstract

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic connective tissue disorder, found to be associated in up to 40% of cases to a secondary Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS). SLE has a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations, ranging from mild to potentially lifethreating conditions. Patients presenting hematologic, renal, central nervous system or cardiac manifestations have been described as having a worse prognosis. Although SLE cardiac involvement alone is rarely responsible for patients' death, the mortality risk significantly increases when an APS is associated, making myocardial infarction and pulmonary embolism the main causes of morbidity and mortality in this group of patients. Here, we report on a case of fatal cardiac involvement in a male patient with a long-standing SLE history, whose post-mortem revealed a pulmonary thromboembolism likely due to a seronegative antiphospholipid syndrome.