ABSTRACT
Neonatal lupus erythematosus(NLE) is a rare disease characterized by the transplacental passage from the mother to the fetus of autoantibodies, particularly autoantibodies of Ro family. The patient with NLE exhibits one or more of the following findings: congenital heart block, cutaneous lupus lesions, hepatobiliary disease and hematologic disorders(thrombocytopenia, anemia). We report a case of NLE in a 2-week-old male infant, born of a clinically asymptomatic mother, presenting multiple, round, target-like lesions which have not been reported in the English and Korean literature. Both infant and mother were positive for anti-SSA/Ro and anti-SSB/La.
Subject(s)
Humans , Infant , Male , Autoantibodies , Fetus , Heart Block , Mothers , Rare Diseases , SkinABSTRACT
Neonatal lupus erythematosus (NLE) is a transplacentally acquired autoimmune disorder, which is characterized by cutaneous lesions and/or congenital heart block and less commonly hepatic and hematologic abnormalities. Affected infants acquire anti-SSA/Ro antibody, anti-SSB/La antibody or less commonly anti-U1RNP antibody transplacentally from maternal circulation and it is generally thought that these antibodies are pathogenic. We report a case of NLE in a 40-day-old neonate who had erythematous annular patches on his face and extremities. Serological studies were reactive for antinuclear antibody of the speckled pattern and positive for anti-SSA/Ro antibodies and anti-SSB/La antibodies in both mother and infant. Addition to these findings, his mother had complained photosensitivity and arthralgia and showed hematological abnormalities including anemia and leukopenia, so we diagnosed his mother as systemic lupus erythematosus.