Successful treatment with intravenous immunoglobulins in a patient with intestinal pseudo-obstruction associated with systemic lupus erythematosus

Gastrointestinal involvement in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is very diverse, and the frequency of occurrence and location along the digestive tract varies widely. Inflammatory processes secondary to immune complex deposits or vascular events may cause this involvement. One of the most characteristic gastrointestinal manifestations in these patients is the intestinal pseudo-obstruction, which is defined as the ineffective intestinal propulsion that occurs in the absence of mechanical or obstructive factors. This is, however, a rare and poorly understood complication of SLE. The case is presented of a male SLE patient presenting with intestinal pseudo-obstruction, and was successfully treated with steroids and intravenous immunoglobulin. A complete review of the literature and a proposal for the pathophysiology of intestinal pseudo-obstruction are presented. © 2017 Asociación Colombiana de Reumatología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All