Successful treatment with intravenous immunoglobulins in a patient affected by dermatomyositis/systemic lupus erythematosus overlap syndrome and tuberculosis

The case of a 56-year-old woman, with a previous history of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), later diagnosed as also affected by active dermatomyositis (DM) associated with tuberculosis (TB) is reported. Since TB is a contra-indication to receive immunosuppressive therapy for DM/SLE, intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG) with tow-dose steroids and anti-TB therapy were administered with excellent clinical results. This report underlines the crucial role of IVIG in the treatment of critical patients suffering from connective tissue disorders associated with severe infections. (C) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved