Association of angiotensin-converting enzyme gene dimorphisms with severity of lupus disease.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) plays an important role in the development of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) because its end-product, angiotensin II, plays an integral role in the regulatory system responsible for endothelial control and vascular tone, systems that are commonly affected in patients with SLE. Additionally, ACE inhibitors have been shown to retard the progression of SLE and lupus nephritis. Our goal was to investigate whether ACE gene polymorphisms are associated with increasing severity of SLE.

Clinico-laboratory findings in male lupus patients from a tertiary care hospital, Pakistan.

This study was conducted to delineate the clinical pattern of a cohort of Pakistani male patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Clinical and laboratory data were collected of 24 male patients who were diagnosed with SLE and admitted to a tertiary care hospital between 1986 and 2001. Imaging and invasive studies (including aspirations and biopsies) were also recorded.

Systemic lupus erythematosus presenting as hemolytic uremic syndrome: a case report.

Associating systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), with an initial presentation of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is rare. We report a case of 21-year old Afghani female admitted to our hospital with an initial complaint of high grade fever and diffuse maculopapular rash and swelling of lower limbs. Diagnosis of atypical HUS was established according to the clinical triad of HUS without a veriotoxin-producing organism in her stool and the pathological finding compatible to thrombotic microangiopathy.

Platypnea-orthodeoxia: report of two cases and review of the literature.

We describe two unusual cases of platypnea. The first patient had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, but platypnea did not respond to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease therapy. He was found to have multiple pulmonary emboli, and symptoms rapidly improved on anticoagulation therapy.