Lupus enteritis can affect a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus. It can be a challenge to distinguish this from other causes of abdominal pain, especially if the patient has not been previously diagnosed with lupus.
Criteria:
(1) presence of SLE
(2) involvement (vasculitis, inflammation) of the small bowel (primarily the jejunum or ileum)
(3) clinical findings supported by laboratory and/or imaging findings
(4) exclusion of other SLE-related conditions (see below)
(5) exclusion of other non-SLE diagnoses (infection, drug complications, etc)
Clinical findings:
(1) abdominal pain
(2) nausea and vomiting
(3) diarrhea
(4) fever
(5) ascites
(6) surgical abdomen (following necrosis and bowel wall performation)
Laboratory findings:
(1) serologic evidence of SLE
(2) elevation of C-reactive protein (CRP)
(3) low serum complement
(4) anemia, thrombocytopenia and/or leucopenia
Imaging studies may show changes to the bowel wall and/or mesentery.
Differential diagnosis - other SLE-related complications:
(1) mesenteric thrombosis secondary to mesenteric arteritis or thrombois
(2) peritoneal inflammation
(3) colonic vasculitis
