An Uncommon Correlation of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus Nephritis: A Case Report on the Unusual Progression of Lupus Nephritis

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic, widespread inflammation and multisystem organ damage. A serious complication of SLE is damage to the kidneys, which is called lupus nephritis (LN). LN typically manifests after five years post the diagnosis of SLE. However, in this case report, the authors present a 46-year-old female with no previous history of SLE, but rather a history of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) with the rapid progression of shortness of breath and lower extremity edema in four months' time. Upon further workup, large amounts of protein were found in the urine, consistent with nephrotic syndrome, and renal biopsy confirmed lupus nephritis. The patient ultimately achieved symptomatic relief with Benlysta (R) (belimumab), a recombinant human immunoglobulin G1 lambda (IgG1 lambda) monoclonal antibody. This report aims to highlight this unique presentation of both SLE and RA and bring awareness to and facilitate the early diagnosis and treatment of LN, thus mitigating permanent kidney damage.