Functional asplenia in childhood onset systemic lupus erythematosus.

Fatal pneumococcal sepsis due to functional asplenia in a child with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and transient hyposplenism in a 2nd child during an acute flare of SLE are described. Splenic ultrasound examinations and radionuclide spleen scans in 11 other children with SLE were normal. Splenic atrophy and dysfunction is an uncommon but potentially fatal complication of SLE in childhood.