[Scleroderma with traces of disseminated lupus erythematosus associated with Hashimoto's thyroiditis and papillary carcinoma of the thyroid gland (author's transl)].

The coexistence of organ-specific and nonorgan-specific autoimmune diseases is an interesting phenomenon. A 52-year-old woman was admitted with fever, general discomfort, polyarthritis, and Raynaud's phenomenon. Physical examination revealed a goiter of stony consistency, hardening, paleness, and atrophy of the skin on the face and upper limbs, and blood hypertension (180/110 mmHg). The biological data included leukopenia, moderate anemia, and a very high sedimentation rate. The latex test was positive (+++); LE cells positive (+); hypergammaglobulinemia (3.5 g); antinuclear antibodies, 1/1280 with an immunofluorescence granular pattern; antithyroid antibodies, 1/160. There was pulmonary, renal, and gastrointestinal involvement compatible with scleroderma, which was confirmed by skin biopsy. A thyroidectomy revealed the existence of a papillary carcinoma with thyroiditis. Responde to treatment with immunosuppressive agents, hypotensive drugs, and thyroid substitution therapy was initially good. The patient was readmitted 8 months later with general discomfort and a severe hyperproteinemia (10 g/100 ml), including 65 percent gammaglobulin and requiring various sessions of plasmapheresis. The patient was discharged, but died suddenly 4 months later. The association of lupus and scleroderma in this patient is discussed and the possibility of its being a mixed connective tissue disease is discarded. The association of this condition with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and the latter with papillary carcinoma of the thyroid are analyzed. The peculiar features of this case are pointed out. The authors postulate that the cause of the sudden death was a vascular cerebral complication induced by the extreme hyperproteinemia.