# Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Mimicking a Possible Eating Disorder

## TL;DR

A teenage girl's symptoms initially suggested an eating disorder but were later found to be caused by systemic lupus erythematosus.

## Contribution

Highlights a rare case where SLE presented with symptoms resembling an eating disorder.

## Key findings

- The patient's initial symptoms included weight loss and weakness, resembling anorexia nervosa.
- Diagnosis of SLE was confirmed after further investigation, despite the absence of classic lupus symptoms at first.
- Classic lupus findings appeared months after the disease onset.

## Abstract

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease that presents with a wide range of symptoms due to its ability to affect multiple organ systems. We present a case report of a 17-year-old female with a chief complaint of a four-month history of weight loss and generalized weakness, along with a two-month history of intermittent hematochezia. Features of the patient’s initial presentation made the treatment team suspicious of anorexia nervosa. However, further workup led the team to a diagnosis of SLE. This case exemplifies a rare presentation of lupus that initially mimicked an eating disorder and did not develop classic lupus findings until months after the disease process began.