Lupus coagulopathy post-tasing: a case study

While severe adverse effects are rare, evidence suggests significant physiological effects may be associated with the use of electrical incapacitation devices, or TASERs. In this case, a 28 year old Caucasian female with chronic, stable systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was voluntarily tased in a work-related training procedure. Days later, she presented to the emergency room with an acute flare of her lupus and a constellation of symptoms that lead to new diagnoses of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), Raynaud phenomenon, acute lower left extremity deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and diffuse bilateral pulmonary emboli (PEs). Due to the temporal relationship of these complications and this patient's history of autoimmune disorders, it is reasonable to believe that an APS was both induced by the tasing event and associated with her lupus.