Cytomegalovirus associated pancreatitis in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Abstract

Pancreatitis can develop as a complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Steroids are considered one of the possible causes of this complication, but the pathological mechanism is unclear. We describe an autopsy case of a 29-year-old woman with cytomegalovirus (CMV) associated pancreatitis that developed during steroid therapy for her SLE. Many parenchymal cells with cytomegalic inclusions were seen in the patient's pancreas, especially in lesions showing active inflammation, and transcripts of CMV major immediate-early and late genes, markers of active viral replication, were detected. These findings suggest that CMV played an etiological role in the pancreatic disorder.

• Authors: Y Ikura, T Matsuo, M Ogami, S Yamazaki, M Okamura, J Yoshikawa, M Ueda
• Journal: The Journal of rheumatology (J Rheumatol) Vol. 27 Issue 11 Pg. 2715-7 (Nov 2000) ISSN: 0315-162X [Print] Canada
• PMID: 11093460 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Immunosuppressive Agents
• RNA, Viral
• Steroids

Topics

• Adult
• Cytomegalovirus (genetics)
• Cytomegalovirus Infections (pathology)
• Fatal Outcome
• Female
• Humans
• Immunosuppressive Agents (therapeutic use)
• Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic (complications, drug therapy)
• Pancreatitis (complications, genetics, pathology, virology)
• RNA, Viral (analysis)
• Steroids (therapeutic use)