[Systemic lupus erythematosus masking the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. A report on four cases]

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a systemic inflammatory disease of connective tissue with an unknown etiology and a rich clinical picture with involvement of multiple organs. Given the rich symptomatology, application of the current classification criteria is associated with a significant risk of attributing symptoms of other pathologies to lupus and/or other connective tissue disease. Inherited and acquired immune deficiencies may sometimes demonstrate a lupus-like clinical symptomatology.

In this work we reviewed 4 of cases referred to the Department of Internal Diseases and Rheumatology of the Silesian Medical University in Katowice with suspected or confirmed systemic lupus erythematosus. A positive anti-HIV antibody test led to the diagnosis of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

Due to the close similarity of the clinical picture and the presence of antinuclear antibodies in both diseases, the authors postulate that the anti-HIV antibody test should be done routinely in patients with connective tissue diseases.