Coexistence of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Syringomyelia: A Case From a Rural Center in Nigeria

Systemic lupus erythematosus and syringomyelia are two distinct conditions with different pathogenetic pathways as well as diverse genetic and clinical characteristics. The coexistence of these two conditions has not been previously documented in the literature. We describe a 38-year-old male who presented with progressive bilateral weakness and pain in the lower limbs and loss of sphincteric functions three years following a diagnosis of lupus nephritis. Relevant autoantibody testing, hypocomplementemia, and biopsy-proven membranous lupus nephritis confirmed the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus and magnetic resonance imaging of the spine confirmed the presence of syringomyelia. Therapy for lupus nephritis was instituted accordingly, while the patient was referred for neurosurgical intervention. The mechanism underlying syrinx formation in this patient is uncertain and, thus, further research is critical in this area.