Systemic lupus erythematosus: infantile

Autoimmune disease of unknown etiology. Rare in children: 10-17% of cases occur before the age of 16 years.Polymorphic symptomatology: hyperthermia, fatigue, weight loss, facial erythema in butterfly wings, photosensitivity, alopecia, arthritis (non-erosive polyarticular involvement of the hands, wrists, knees, ankles). More rarely: peripheral neuropathy, optic neuritis and myelitis, pleural effusion, pericarditis. Biology: autoimmune cytopenia and acquired anomalies of the hemostasis predispose to thrombosis (decrease of proteins C and S, antiphospholipid antibodies), nephropathy leading to proteinuria with or without nephrotic syndrome, autoimmune hepatitis.


Anesthetic implications:

it is a systemic disease: check renal and hepatic function. Side effects of NSAIDs, antimalarial drugs, immunosuppressive or corticosteroid therapy. NSAIDs may induce cytotoxic hepatitis.


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Updated: October 2016