Suppression of systemic lupus erythematosus by the human immunodeficiency virus

We describe a patient with refractory systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who demonstrated complete resolution of all SLE symptoms. He was subsequently found to be infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) and had marked depletion of peripheral CD4 positive T lymphocytes. In addition, while his SLE remained completely inactive, the course of HIV was rapidly progressive, suggesting that retroviral replication may have been enhanced by the underlying state of T cell transactivation characteristic of SLE.