A Case of Transverse Myelitis associated with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

ABSTRACT

Transverse myelitis is a rare complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and its prognosis is very poor including death or severe neurologic sequelae. We report a 14-year-old girl with transverse myelitis who was not exactly diagnosed as SLE before the onset of neurologic symptoms. Transverse myelitis was diagnosed based on the clinical presentations, cerebrospinal fluid analysis and MRI findings. We employed aggressive treatment with pulse methylprednisolone for acute episodes followed by monthly cyclophosphamide pulse therapy. For the first several months, clinical improvement of the neurologic impairment was noted, but unfortunately her neurological course was on exacerbation.