Pregnancy-Induced Thrombotic Microangiopathy in Systematic Lupus Erythematosus: A Case Report.

ABSTRACT

Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) is a severe systemic disorder with multiorgan manifestations due to thrombosis of the microvasculature. Pregnancy and post-partum are particularly high-risk periods for many forms of TMA. The disease progression is rapid and can lead to organ failure and even death; therefore, urgent recognition and treatment are paramount. The presence of other triggers such as infections or autoimmune diseases like systematic lupus erythematosus (SLE) can add further complexity, which emphasizes the need for definitive diagnostic investigations such as kidney biopsy to promptly direct further diagnosis and management. We describe a case of a 27-year-old female with post-partum severe acute kidney injury and nephrotic range proteinuria. She had a new diagnosis of active SLE and was found to have TMA on kidney biopsy without conclusive features of lupus nephritis. She was managed successfully with plasma exchange with rapid improvement of her kidney markers.