Sclerosing peritonitis and systemic lupus erythematosus: A report of two cases

Objective: To heighten the awareness of a possible association of sclerosin g peritonitis in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods and Results: Over the course of 17 years (from January 1981 to Dece mber 1997), 371 patients were treated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) at Rush-presbyterian-St Lukes Medical Center. The patients were followed on CAPD for an average of 25 +/- 21 (SD) months with a media n of 19 months (range 0.2 - 115 months). During this time only 2 (0.5%) pat ients were diagnosed with sclerosing peritonitis, and both had SLE. with on going evidence of active disease while on CAPD. With a total of 26 SLE pati ents being treated with CAPD during the observation period, the prevalence of sclerosing peritonitis can be said to be as high as 8% in this patient p opulation. Conclusion: These cases suggest that autoimmune diseases, such as SLE, that are well known to cause immune-mediated serositis may represent an additio nal factor predisposing to the development of sclerosing peritonitis in pat ients treated with CAPD.