A 32-year-old female patient in this study, who suffered from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) for 11 years. Upon a regular rheumatology outpatient follow-up, she presented not only with fever,arthralgia and chest pain, but also with anemia, low platelets, low complement (C3), and high titer anti-double-strand deoxyribonucleic acid antibody (anti-dsDNA > 379 IU/mL) on laboratory test report,as well as proteinuria on urinalysis. Accordingly, her condition was suspected to be a relapse of SLE. Unfortunately, after treatment with high-dose intravenous methylprednisolone, the response was poor with persistent low platelet level. Besides, hemolytic anemia and thrombocytopenia were noted and peripheral blood smear examination also showed fragmented red blood cells, supporting the diagnosis of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia. Moreover, there was severe ADAMTS13 deficiency in the blood, even with 0% of activity. Therefore, the patient was finally diagnosed with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and then received urgent plasmapheresis in combination with high-dose glucocorticoid and of intravenous rituximab treatment. After the treatment, the platelet level increased, lactate dehydrogenase level remarkably decreased, and anemia gradually improved. Taken together, urgent initiation of plasma exchange together with glucocorticoid and rituximab treatment for SLE patient with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura could lower the mortality rate.