A Case of Lupus Enteritis in a Patient Under Long-term Peritoneal Dialysis

Lupus enteritis is one of the manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus due to vasculitis of the bowel. Abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting are its frequent symptoms, but it is not always easy to differentiate from other gastrointestinal disease. In addition, lupus enteritis might be neglected as initial diagnosis in a patient with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), because it is generally known for her/his lupus activity to decrease after the initiation of dialysis. We experienced a rare case of lupus enteritis developed 6 years after the initiation of peritoneal dialysis. We diagnosed lupus enteritis based on decreased serum complements level, elevated anti-dsDNA antibody level, and target-appearing concentric wall thickening in jejunum on abdominal computerized tomography. It suggests that even in ESRD patients, lupus activity should be closely monitored and adequately controlled with immunosuppressive agent.