Aorta coarctation and systemic lupus erythematosus: A case report

Vasculitis is one of the common pathological hallmarks of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Vascular lesions in SLE commonly involve medium- and small-sized vessels. Rarely, vasculitis in SLE may involve large vessels such as the aorta leading to life-threatening complications. Reported cases of large vessel lesions in SLE included aortic aneurysm and aortic dissection.

Here, we report a 52-year-old Chinese woman with SLE, who was stable on oral glucocorticoid, but showed sudden intractable hypertension and heavy proteinuria before we found aorta coarctation in her computed tomography (CT) scan of the aorta.

This patient's large vascular lesions were likely secondary and not a primary manifestation of lupus activity.

After endovascular stent graft repair of the abdominal aorta, her hypertension and proteinuria were controlled.

In the context of reported cases of large vessel lesions in SLE, our case further supports the significance of having a wide differential for vascular lesions in SLE, especially when an SLE patient presents sudden hypertension and heavy proteinuria. This case also demonstrates that vascular lesions in SLE may lead to serious, potentially fatal consequences.