[The late diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus with the antiphospholipid syndrome]

A case of SLE is reported in a 43-year-old female who had initial signs of the disease 10 years before (exudative pleuritis). SLE ran chronically with spontaneous remissions. Insolation in 1985 provoked exacerbation and further progress. The progression was accompanied with appearance of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS): habitual miscarriage, livedo, Raynaud's [correction of Raunald's] syndrome, recurrent thrombophlebitis. Aortic valve disease was more likely to be consequent to non-infectious endocarditis while arterial hypertension as well as proteinuria could be caused by renal thromboangiopathy. This case demonstrates not only a wide spectrum of SLE and APS symptoms but also difficulties which may be faced in the choice of the treatment policy.