The emergence of systemic lupus erythematosus in hypothyroid patients: two case reports and mini review

Abstract

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multi-systemic autoimmune disease that involves almost all the organs in the human body and is characterized by auto antibodies formation. Autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITD) are organ-specific diseases that are associated with a production of a variety of antibodies such as antinuclear antibodies, anti-double-stranded DNA, anti-Ro antibodies, anti-cardiolipin antibodies, and others. The diagnosis of AITD in patients with SLE is well known, but the reverse is rarely reported. We present two cases of adolescent girls in whom SLE evolved one year after being diagnosed with hypothyroidism.