[Cryptococcal meningitis and systemic lupus erythematosus: a case report and review].

Cryptococcal meningitis is an uncommon but well-known and frequently fatal complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The clinical manifestations are unspecific and frequently are confused with lupus activity. A patient with cryptococcal meningitis and SLE, who responded well to amphotericin deoxycholate therapy, is reported. In a review through MEDLINE of the Spanish and English literature, 57 cases of SLE and cryptococcal meningitis were found. Simultaneous presentation of both diseases has been reported in only three cases. This temporal coexistence suggests that specific underlying immune defects associated with SLE directly predisposes to mycotic infections.