Pulmonary-renal Syndrome Caused by an Overlap Systemic Lupus Erythematosus/Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-associated Vasculitis Syndrome in the Setting of Immune Complex-mediated Glomerulonephritis in a Patient with COVID-19 Infection

Manuel Francisco Betancourt; Reji Nair; Onyekachi Obi; Josephine M Ambruzs

doi:10.4103/jgid.jgid_173_24

Pulmonary-renal Syndrome Caused by an Overlap Systemic Lupus Erythematosus/Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-associated Vasculitis Syndrome in the Setting of Immune Complex-mediated Glomerulonephritis in a Patient with COVID-19 Infection

J Glob Infect Dis. 2026 Mar 27;18(1):48-50. doi: 10.4103/jgid.jgid_173_24. eCollection 2026 Jan-Mar.

Authors

Manuel Francisco Betancourt¹, Reji Nair², Onyekachi Obi³, Josephine M Ambruzs⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Critical Care Medicine, BayCare Winter Haven Hospital, Florida State University, Winter Haven, FL, USA.
² Department of Nephrology, Central Florida Kidney Specialists, BayCare Winter Haven Hospital, Winter Haven, FL, USA.
³ Department of Critical Care Medicine, Orlando Health, Winter Garden, FL, USA.
⁴ Arkana Laboratories, Little Rock, AR, USA.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 continues to be a global public health issue. Kidney disease is common, mainly presenting as acute kidney injury. Glomerular diseases have been reported in COVID-19. We are presenting a case of immune complex-mediated glomerulonephritis in a patient with COVID-19 infection and probable superimposed systemic lupus erythematosus and antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis overlap who developed a pulmonary-renal syndrome. The patient responded well with a combination of plasma exchange, rituximab, and glucocorticoid therapy. The treatment was successful with resolution of the diffuse alveolar hemorrhage and prevention of potential end stage kidney disease. We would like to add this case to the literature as another example of the long-ranging potential autoimmune/autoinflammatory complications associated with COVID-19 disease.

Keywords: Glomerulonephritis; hemoptysis; pulmonary-renal syndrome.

Publication types

Case Reports