Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multi-system inflammatory disorder that has many symptoms. Gastrointestinal symptoms are common, while colonic involvement in the form of ischemic colitis or a colonic ulcer is rare in SLE. The differential diagnosis of ischemic proctitis with ulceration includes an infected ulcer, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, solitary rectal ulcer colitis, malignant tumor, and lupus colitis. Here, we report a 22-year-old male with abdominal pain and diarrhea, who had a huge rectal ulcer that nearly obstructed the rectosigmoid junction. This turned out to be a rare gastrointestinal manifestation of lupus. He recovered after being treated with high-dose oral steroids. Our case demonstrates that a rectal ulcer is a rare, but important, complication of SLE and can be the initial clinical manifestation of the disease.
Abdominal Pain ; Colitis ; Colitis, Ischemic ; Colitis, Ulcerative ; Colon ; Crohn Disease ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Diarrhea ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Male ; Proctitis ; Steroids ; Ulcer ; Young Adult

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multi-system inflammatory disorder that has many symptoms. Gastrointestinal symptoms are common, while colonic involvement in the form of ischemic colitis or a colonic ulcer is rare in SLE. The differential diagnosis of ischemic proctitis with ulceration includes an infected ulcer, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, solitary rectal ulcer colitis, malignant tumor, and lupus colitis. Here, we report a 22-year-old male with abdominal pain and diarrhea, who had a huge rectal ulcer that nearly obstructed the rectosigmoid junction. This turned out to be a rare gastrointestinal manifestation of lupus. He recovered after being treated with high-dose oral steroids. Our case demonstrates that a rectal ulcer is a rare, but important, complication of SLE and can be the initial clinical manifestation of the disease.
Abdominal Pain ; Colitis ; Colitis, Ischemic ; Colitis, Ulcerative ; Colon ; Crohn Disease ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Diarrhea ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Male ; Proctitis ; Steroids ; Ulcer ; Young Adult