Objective: To present a rare case of belly dancer’s dyskinesia with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Background: Belly dancer’s dyskinesia is a rare disease caused by many factors, one of which is related to autoimmune disease, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). There are several theories that can explain the pathophysiology of this disease. In SLE, voltage-gated potassium channel (VGKC) autoantibodies can be formed and may have both central and peripheral effects. The central effect causes predominant binding in the thalamus and striatum resulting in prolonged depolarization and subsequent hyperkinetic disturbances. The peripheral effect directly stimulates the phrenic nerves, causing hyperkinetic movements. In addition, SLE can induces vasculitis, leading to peripheral ischemic nerve injury; or pleurisy which then results in irritation of the phrenic nerve. Belly dancer’s dyskinesia with an unclear mechanism may also be psychogenic.

Method: A 42-year-old woman presented with movements of her abdominal wall for the last 8 months. The abdominal wall moved rapidly, continuously, and unconsciously. The woman also had intranuclear ophthalmoplegi. The patient was diagnosed with SLE.

Results: The laboratory tests were positive on PCNA antigen, PM-Sci100 (PM 100), Ribosomal protein (RIB), revealing the diagnosis of SLE. Brain MRI with contrast showed cerebral vasculitis and hypoplasia of the anterior cerebral arteries and middle cerebral arteries. The patient was administered valproate acid and clobazam for the treatment of belly dancer dyskinesia as well as mycophenolate mofetil and bisoprolol for the treatment of SLE. Her symptoms improved after taking these drugs.

Conclusion: Belly dancer dyskinesia is a rare disease that can be caused by many possibilities, one of which is autoimmune disease, namely SLE. There are several hypotheses that explain the pathophysiology of the relationship of belly dancer dyskinesia with SLE disease.

« Back to MDS Virtual Congress 2021

MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/belly-dancers-dyskinesia-with-systemic-lupus-erythematosus-a-case-report/