Vnitr Lek 2025, 71(6):385-388 | DOI: 10.36290/vnl.2025.072

Parainfectious exudative pericarditis in bilateral pneumonia as the primary manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus

Jakub Tatarka

Nemocnice Jihlava

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease with a diverse clinical presentation that can affect almost all organ systems. Cardiopulmonary manifestations are no exception, with pericarditis being the most common cardiac involvement in patients with SLE. It is usually an aseptic serous pericarditis, while the parainfectious exudative form with complicated pleural effusion is rare and represents a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. In this article, we present the case of a 53-year-old female patient hospitalized for parainfectious exudative pericarditis and bilateral pneumonia, in whom the diagnosis of SLE was established during hospitalization. This case highlights the importance of systemic autoimmune disease as a possible cause of atypical pericardial and pulmonary complications and points to the complexity of differential diagnosis in clinical practice.

Keywords: systemic lupus erythematosus, pneumonia, pericarditis, autoimmune disease.

Accepted: September 21, 2025; Published: October 2, 2025  Show citation