Double valve replacement for lupus valvulitis. Report of a case and review of the literature

Hemodynamically significant lupus valvulitis, requiring valve replacement, is rare: 21 cases have been reported so far in the literature, and only 2 of these have involved double valve replacement. We describe an additional case of double valve replacement in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus. The histopathologic and clinical features of this case suggest that valvular involvement resulted from both acute and chronic disease processes. Medical success in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus, especially that achieved through prolonged or high-dose steroid therapy, may cause chronic valvular disease to become a more common surgical problem. A review of the literature supports this contention.