Successful treatment with intravenous immunoglobulins in a patient affected by dermatomyositis/systemic lupus erythematosus overlap syndrome and tuberculosis

The case of a 56-year-old woman, with a previous history of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), later diagnosed as also affected by active dermatomyositis (DM) associated with tuberculosis (TB) is reported. Since TB is a contra-indication to receive immunosuppressive therapy for DM/SLE, intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG) with low-dose steroids and anti-TB therapy were administered with excellent clinical results. This report underlines the crucial role of IVIG in the treatment of critical patients suffering from connective tissue disorders associated with severe infections.