[Systemic lupus erythematosus and infectious endocarditis: similarities and differences].

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Infectious Diseases
• Clinical Immunology

Background:

• Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and infectious endocarditis (IE) are distinct conditions with potentially overlapping clinical presentations.
• Accurate differentiation is essential for appropriate etiopathogenetic therapy.

Observation:

• A comparative analysis of clinical and laboratory data was conducted on 72 IE patients and 71 SLE patients over a decade.
• Key clinical and laboratory findings were systematically recorded and analyzed for both groups.

Findings:

• Common features include fever, pleurisy, pericarditis, vasculitis, renal disorders, anemia, rheumatoid factor (RF), cryoproteins (CP), elevated ESR, circulating immune complexes (CIC), and IgM.
• SLE is characterized by erythema, alopecia, Raynaud's syndrome, cerebrovasculitis, lymphadenopathy, pneumonitis, leucopenia, high IgG, and anti-DNA antibodies.
• IE presents with thromboembolic complications, splenomegaly, pneumonia, high CIC, medium mass molecules, high RF incidence, and positive hemoculture.

Implications:

• Despite known differences, overlapping symptoms can complicate the differential diagnosis between SLE and IE.
• Misdiagnosis can lead to delays in initiating specific and effective treatments for both conditions.
• Understanding these similarities and differences aids in refining diagnostic strategies for complex cases.