This 39-year-old female with a history of discoid lupus and pericarditis presented with severe substernal chest pain after having prednisone and Plaquenil discontinued. She first developed arthralgias of various joints, which were treated with aspirin, Motrin and steroids. In 1985, she developed pleuritic substernal chest pain and was diagnosed at Westten Hospital with pericarditis. In 1988, she was seen at the Arthritis Clinic by Dr. Goerlitz and was treated with Plaquenil 200 bid, plus aspirin and Naprosyn. In 22 of May, she was diagnosed with a lupus flare and was put on prednisone 30 q am and in 23 of March, the steroids were tapered off and discontinued. However, she presented with increasing joint pain and had her prednisone restarted with Plaquenil 200 bid, Motrin 80 tid, prednisone 10 q am, Dilantin 200 bid, and prednisone 30 q day. Laboratory examination showed electrolytes within normal limits, CK of 76, white count of 4.7, hematocrit of 30, platelets of 352,000, mean corpuscular volume of 83, ESR of 88, oxygen saturation of 99% on room air, and urinalysis showed specific gravity of 1.026, 2+ protein, 10 to 15 white cells, 8 to 10 red blood cells and a few granular casts. Chest x-ray showed increased heart size, multiple thoracic compression fractures and osteopenia, and electrocardiogram showed sinus rhythm with frequent premature ventricular contractions at a rate of approximately 70. She was ruled out for a myocardial infarction, had an echocardiogram which showed a small amount of pericardial fluid, and was placed back on her Plaquenil 200 bid and prednisone 30 q day. The hematocrit remained stable between 27 and 30 without transfusions or further intervention, and she was discharged on medications including Plaquenil 200 bid, prednisone 20 q day, Dilantin 400 q day, L-thyroxine 0.2 q am, Motrin 800 tid, Carafate, iron and folate for follow-up in Rheumatology Clinic with Dr. Grondin.
has there been a prior prednisone
prednisone and Plaquenil discontinued.