[A case of the "shrinking lung syndrome" in SLE--improvement with corticosteroid therapy]

A 56-year-old Japanese woman had a 8-year history of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with recurrent flares. When she was 48 years old, she was diagnosed as having SLE on the basis of fever, polyarthritis, oral ulcers, leukopenia, and positive anti-DNA antibody. Three years later she developed pericarditis and pleuritis, that were improved with treatment with 30 mg of prednisone a day. With tapering of prednisone dose to 9 mg a day in January 1993, she was admitted due to shortness of breath on exertion. Chest radiograph revealed bilateral elevated diaphragms and sluggish movement with clear lung field. Pulmonary function tests showed restrictive defect with a vital capacity 38% of predicted value. A diagnosis of "shrinking lung syndrome" was made. Simultaneously, blood test revealed leukopenia, elevated red cell sedimentation rate, and elevated anti-DNA antibody titer. Therefore, we suspected this pulmonary involvement was related to lupus flare-up. Treatment with 20 mg of prednisone a day resulted in resolution of the patient's dyspnea and in improvement of her vital capacity. Corticosteroid therapy for acute "shrinking lung syndrome" in active SLE can improve symptoms and pulmonary function.