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Updated: Aug 11, 2026

The bm12 Inducible Model of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) in C57BL/6 Mice
Published on: November 1, 2015
Severe lupus with infectious thyroiditis and lethal cardiomyopathy
M Macro1, E Le Gangneux, E Gallet
1Department of Rheumatology, CHRU Côte de Nacre, Caen, France.
Insights
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) can cause rare heart complications like cardiomyopathy and thrombosis. This case highlights the diagnostic value of cardiac imaging and biopsy in managing these severe SLE manifestations.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Rheumatology
- Internal Medicine
Background:
- Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease with diverse clinical manifestations.
- Cardiac involvement in SLE, such as lupus cardiomyopathy, is uncommon.
- Intracavitary thrombosis is a rare but serious complication in SLE patients.
Observation:
- A patient with active SLE presented with rapidly progressive cardiomyopathy.
- The cardiomyopathy's fatal progression was complicated by an intracavitary thrombus.
- The patient also developed acute suppurative thyroiditis, a previously undescribed association with SLE.
Findings:
- Cardiac echocardiography and endomyocardial biopsy were crucial for diagnosing lupus myocarditis.
- These diagnostic tools aided in adjusting the patient's therapeutic regimen.
- The co-occurrence of acute suppurative thyroiditis and SLE was noted.
Implications:
- This case underscores the importance of cardiac monitoring in SLE patients.
- Early diagnosis and management of cardiac complications in SLE are vital.
- The association with acute suppurative thyroiditis warrants further investigation in SLE patients.
Abstract:
Clinical cardiomyopathy is an uncommon complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and intracavitary thrombosis is rare. We describe a patient with active SLE who developed rapidly progressive cardiomyopathy, the fatal course of which was complicated by an intracavitary thrombus. Repeat cardiac echography studies and the endomyocardial biopsy proved to be helpful in diagnosing the lupus myocarditis and aided the regulation of therapy. Furthermore, the patient presented an acute suppurative thyroiditis never before described, to our knowledge, in SLE.
Related Concept Videos
Myocarditis I: Introduction
Rheumatic Heart Disease I: Introduction
Cardiomyopathy III: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy IV: Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
Hyperthyroidism II: Pathophysiology
Graves' Disease I: Introduction

