Work

Three‐Year Diagnostic Delay in Shrinking Lung Syndrome: Rituximab‐Theophylline Combination as Rescue Therapy

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Shrinking lung syndrome (SLS) is an infrequent complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). A 41-year-old woman with a 10-year history of SLE presented with dyspnea, chest pain, and dry cough. She had poor medication compliance and multiple hospitalizations over 3 years for similar symptoms, without a definitive diagnosis. Imaging revealed bilateral basal atelectasis and an elevated right hemidiaphragm, while pulmonary function tests (PFTs) showed a restrictive pattern. Other lung and cardiac conditions were excluded, leading to a diagnosis of SLS. Treatment with rituximab, prednisolone, and theophylline improved PFTs, chest pain, cough, and dyspnea at follow-up. Clinicians should consider SLS in SLE patients with dyspnea and characteristic imaging, as delayed diagnosis may increase morbidity.

Source: Respirology Case Reports

DOI: 10.1002/rcr2.70461

Authors: Somayeh Motamed, Alireza Mirzamohamadi, Shokufe Sadeghi, Vahid Ardestani Rostami, Mehrdad Mahalleh, Majid Alikhani

Institutions: Rheumatology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences

Language: English

Topic: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Research

Subfield: Rheumatology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,130