Remitting asymmetrical pitting oedema in systemic lupus erythematosus: two cases studied with magnetic resonance imaging.

To our knowledge, only three cases of remitting symmetrical pitting oedema in systemic lupus erythematosus have been reported so far. This is the first report of two patients with asymmetrical pitting oedema and systemic lupus erythematosus. The first patient presented two consecutive episodes of unilateral oedema. The first episode involved the distal part of the right lower extremity and remitted spontaneously while the second involved the volar region of the left wrist and distal half of the forearm and promptly responded to steroids. Magnetic resonance imaging of the left wrist and forearm showed tenosynovitis of the flexor tendons and subcutaneous oedema. The second patient instead developed a single episode of pitting oedema of the distal part of the right lower extremity that resolved spontaneously. Magnetic resonance imaging of the right ankle and foot showed subcutaneous oedema without involvement of the tendon sheaths or osteoarticular and ligamental structures. These two cases suggest that pitting oedema in systemic lupus erythematosus may occasionally be asymmetric and associated or not with tenosynovitis.