Neurological manifestations

Neurological involvement is reported in 25 to 75% of lupus patients (1).

• may affect any parts of the nervous system
• a study revealed that in patients with neurological symptoms, the incidence of elevated APL was approximately two times higher than in those without neurological manifestations (1)

Neurological manifestations may include a wide variety of lesions such as:

• peripheral neuropathy - including rarely, the Guillain Barre syndrome
• seizures - grand mal most common; other types rare
• movement disorders such as chorea and choreoathetosis
• impaired memory, perception, orientation and intellectual function
• severe headaches
• aseptic meningitis
• stroke and transient ischemic attacks (TIA) - may be related to antiphospholipid antibody syndrome or vasculitis
• transverse myelitis with spastic paraparesis
• limbic encephalitis-type picture (1)
• psychological disturbance:
  • particularly depression and anxiety
  • particularly in recently diagnosed patients and those with disfiguring skin lesions

Reference:

• (1) Cojocaru M et al.Manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus. Maedica (Buchar). 2011;6(4):330-6.