Ascites as the Presenting Sign of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Although systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) can manifest differently in each patient, ascites is a rare first sign. The diagnosis of SLE can be easily missed when the initial presentation is uncommon. A 39-year-old male presented with painless abdominal fullness and was found to have ascites, thrombocytopenia, and anemia. He was initially diagnosed with Evan’s syndrome and treated with prednisone. Upon follow-up, he had worsening thrombocytopenia and was found to have a positive antinuclear antibody, anti-double-stranded DNA antibody, and low complement levels consistent with SLE. He was treated with methylprednisolone, intravenous immunoglobulin, and mycophenolate mofetil with improvement.