Clinical and therapeutical features of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus associated with gastroparesis: A systematic review

This paper aims to analyze the clinical, therapeutic, and evolutionary characteristics of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) that is associated with gastroparesis. We have systematically researched articles published in Pubmed, MEDLINE, LILACS, and Scielo dating from 1966 to April 2020. All the researched articles are based on gastroparesis and SLE in the following literature: English, Chinese, and Japanese. We obtained five cases of SLE associated with gastroparesis. There are three case reports included and two retrospective epidemiological studies where the clinical data are not detailed. Of the case reports, all of them were females aged between 27 and 58 years. All of them showed symptoms of nausea and vomiting. Abdominal pain and weight loss were reported in the only two-third of the cases. Only one case showed early satiety. All the cases were tested positive for antinuclear antibodies and anti-dsDNA antibodies at the time of gastroparesis. In all the cases, scintigraphy was performed to check gastric emptying. This is the gold standard for diagnosing gastroparesis. Concerning therapy used, three-third of the cases received glucocorticoids 1 mg/kg daily. In two-third of the cases, azathioprine was used. Before starting the corticosteroids therapy, all the cases received antibiotics and motility stimulants with poor outcomes. The early diagnosis of gastroparesis with SLE must be rapid so that the therapy can be initiated promptly. Due to the severity of the condition that may result in nausea, abdominal pains, and satiety, using endoscopy and gastric emptying scintigraphy is fundamental.