Neonatal lupus erythematosus with recurrent pancytopenia: a case report

Ling-Jen Wang, Yao-Hsu Yang, Ming-I Lin, Bor-Luen Chiang, Shu-Chi Mu
Department of Pediatrics, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC

Neonatal lupus erythematosus is an immune-mediated disease associated with the transplacental passage of maternal autoantibodies, primarily anti-Ro (SS-A) and anti-La (SS-B). The major clinical manifestations are isolated congenital heart block and cutaneous lupus lesions. Other symptoms include hematologic and hepatic abnormalities. We report a male neonate, born to a mother with Sjogren's syndrome, who experienced cutaneous lupus lesions and 2 episodes of pancytopenia. Both anti-Ro and anti-La antibodies were positive in infant and mother.

J Microbiol Immunol Infect 2002;35:262-264.