A case report: Catatonic symptoms secondary to systemic lupus erythematosus with multiple infections: neuropsychiatric or “mimickers?”

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is frequently accompanied by neuropsychiatric (NP) manifestations. However, typical symptoms of catatonia are uncommon. Neuropsychiatric SLE or its “mimickers” may cause NP symptoms, making differential diagnosis a significant challenge in clinical practice. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 68-year-old female with SLE was hospitalized for edema, lung infection, and recurrent fungal mouth ulcers after multiple courses of cortisol and immunosuppressive therapy. Five days after admission, stupor, immobility, mutism, and rigidity were observed. DIAGNOSIS: “Mimickers”: catatonic disorder due to a general medical condition. INTERVENTION: Initially, relevant laboratory tests, imaging studies, and the disease activity index score were performed. A survey of the causes of the disease was conducted among the patient’s relatives. Subsequently, we discontinued moxifloxacin, corticosteroids, fluconazole, and other medications and inserted a gastric tube for nutritional support. During this process, traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture have been utilized. OUTCOMES: After 3 days, the patient recovered and only complained of fatigue. CONCLUSION: When SLE presents with NP symptoms, it is essential to make a correct diagnosis in order to guide appropriate treatment by actively searching for inducers and clinical, laboratory, and neuroradiological characteristics that can aid in the differential diagnosis. When treatment options are limited, it can be beneficial to try a variety of combination strategies, such as traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture.