Gluten-sensitive enteropathy and systemic lupus erythematosus.

A patient with systemic lupus erythematosus developed gluten-sensitive enteropathy, or celiac sprue. The patient's histocompatibility antigens included HLA-B8 and HLA-DR3, previously found to have a high frequency in gluten-sensitive enteropathy and possibility increased as well in systemic lupus erythematosus. Such histocompatibility antigens are common to a variety of autoimmune disorders. An immune basis for the association is discussed herein.