Acute Lupus Pneumonitis: An Uncommon Initial Presentation of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus-A Case Report.

Acute lupus pneumonitis is a rare but potentially life-threatening pulmonary manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus, often presenting with nonspecific respiratory symptoms. We report a case of a 48-year-old female who presented with fever, dyspnea, and pleuritic chest pain. High-resolution computed tomography of the chest revealed bilateral pleural effusions. Autoimmune serologic testing showed strongly positive antinuclear antibody and anti-double-stranded DNA antibodies. After exclusion of infectious and alternative autoimmune etiologies, a diagnosis of acute lupus pneumonitis was made. The patient showed marked clinical improvement following systemic corticosteroid therapy. This case emphasizes the importance of early recognition and prompt immunosuppressive treatment to improve clinical outcomes.