Two Cases of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus with Cerebrovascular Involvement / 영남의대학술지

ABSTRACT

Systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE) is an autoimmune disease which may affect many different organs and disclose various clinical manifestations. Recently central nervous system(CNS) involvement has been recognized as an increasingly significant contributor to morbidity and mortality of SLE. The clinical manifestations of CNS-lupus are highly variable and range from mild cognitive dysfunction, movement disorder, headache, psychosis to life-threatening stroke and coma. Among the neuropsychiatric disorders encountered in patients with SLE, cerebrovascular disease has been a relatively rare complication. The diagnosis and management of CNS-lupus is difficult because of the lack of useful diagnostic methods. If, cerebrovascular involvement is suspected, then aggressive treatment such as high dose steroid, immunosuppressive therapy, plasma exchange, may be required to reduce high mortality rate. We experienced 2 cases cerebrovascular disease occurring in SLE patients which presented with various neuropsychiatric manifestations. They were diagnosed as CNS-lupus by neuropsychiatric symptoms, brain MRI, and EEG, and showed good response to high dose steroid pulse therapy.