EDITORIAL - Do I need an ANA? Some thoughts about man's best friend and the transmissibility of lupus

[Guest guest]

Journal of Rheumatology

Editorial

Feb 2000

Do I Need an ANA? Some Thoughts About Man's Best Friend and the

Transmissibility of Lupus

There has been considerable speculation that systemic lupus

erythematosus (SLE, lupus) might be infectious and/or

transmissible1-8. We present provocative, personal observations in

support of this possibility, discuss the pertinent literature, and

offer our comments.

We cared for an elderly female who had enjoyed reasonable health. She

was taking enteric coated aspirin for osteoarthritis when she

developed profound weakness, lethargy, and black tarry stools.

Laboratory studies showed hematocrit 9 vol%, hemoglobin 3.3 g%, and

white blood cell count 17,500/mm3. She responded nicely to cessation

of aspirin, transfusion, sucralfate, and famotidine with hemoglobin

10.3 g% and hematocrit 31 vol%. Additional studies found blood urea

nitrogen 24 mg%, creatinine 0.3 mg/ml, urinalysis with microscopic

hematuria, platelet count 35,000/mm3, lymphopenia (5%) on differential

count, T4 0.4 �g/ml (normal 1�3.6), Coombs antibodies positive 1:4,

reticulocyte count 5.8%, and antinuclear antibodies (ANA) 1:50

(significant positive). She subsequently developed cutaneous lesions,

alopecia, and lymphadenopathy, and expired. Her life partner had

ocular Sjögren's syndrome and ANA 1:25.

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Read the entire editorial here:

http://www.jrheum.com/abstracts/editorials/990497.html

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Not an MD