Clinique des Maladies de l'Appareil Digestif, Hôpital Guillaume-et-René-Laennec, Nantes.
We report the association of primary sclerosing cholangitis and systemic lupus erythematosus in a 39 year-old man. Six months after a diagnosis of primary sclerosing cholangitis was established, the patient was hospitalized for a pleural effusion and acute pericarditis. Emergency pericardiocentesis, was required due to sudden cardiac tamponnade. Plasmatic anti-DNA and anti-nuclear antibodies were present. Treatment by steroids greatly improved symptoms. This clinical association suggests that some immune disorders may be common to the two diseases.