scholarly journals Different phenotypes of neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus are related to a distinct pattern of structural changes on brain MRI

Author(s):  
Francesca Inglese ◽  
Ilse M. J. Kant ◽  
Rory C. Monahan ◽  
Gerda M. Steup-Beekman ◽  
Tom W. J. Huizinga ◽  
...  

Abstract Objectives The underlying structural brain correlates of neuropsychiatric involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) remain unclear, thus hindering correct diagnosis. We compared brain tissue volumes between a clinically well-defined cohort of patients with NPSLE and SLE patients with neuropsychiatric syndromes not attributed to SLE (non-NPSLE). Within the NPSLE patients, we also examined differences between patients with two distinct disease phenotypes: ischemic and inflammatory. Methods In this prospective (May 2007 to April 2015) cohort study, we included 38 NPSLE patients (26 inflammatory and 12 ischemic) and 117 non-NPSLE patients. All patients underwent a 3-T brain MRI scan that was used to automatically determine white matter, grey matter, white matter hyperintensities (WMH) and total brain volumes. Group differences in brain tissue volumes were studied with linear regression analyses corrected for age, gender, and total intracranial volume and expressed as B values and 95% confidence intervals. Results NPSLE patients showed higher WMH volume compared to non-NPSLE patients (p = 0.004). NPSLE inflammatory patients showed lower total brain (p = 0.014) and white matter volumes (p = 0.020), and higher WMH volume (p = 0.002) compared to non-NPSLE patients. Additionally, NPSLE inflammatory patients showed lower white matter (p = 0.020) and total brain volumes (p = 0.038) compared to NPSLE ischemic patients. Conclusion We showed that different phenotypes of NPSLE were related to distinct patterns of underlying structural brain MRI changes. Especially the inflammatory phenotype of NPSLE was associated with the most pronounced brain volume changes, which might facilitate the diagnostic process in SLE patients with neuropsychiatric symptoms. Key Points • Neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) patients showed a higher WMH volume compared to SLE patients with neuropsychiatric syndromes not attributed to SLE (non-NPSLE). • NPSLE patients with inflammatory phenotype showed a lower total brain and white matter volume, and a higher volume of white matter hyperintensities, compared to non-NPSLE patients. • NPSLE patients with inflammatory phenotype showed lower white matter and total brain volumes compared to NPSLE patients with ischemic phenotype.

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eri Sano ◽  
Shigeki Arawaka

Objective: The occurrence of ischemic stroke in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) can cause extended periods of reduced daily activities. However, the risk factors for ischemic stroke in SLE patients are not fully elucidated. Herein, we examined the effect of white matter hyperintensities (WMH) on the occurrence of ischemic stroke in SLE patients.Methods: We analyzed the relationship between WMH burden and ischemic stroke using follow-up brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data of 79 patients with SLE. Of these patients, 16 developed stroke during the observation period. WMH on MRI were classified into periventricular hyperintensities and deep white matter hyperintensities (DWMH), while the lesion extent was graded using the Fazekas scale.Results: Kaplan–Meier curves showed that ischemic stroke events were significantly associated with age at initial brain MRI of ≥40 years (p = 0.015) and history of anti-phospholipid syndrome (p = 0.030). Additionally, ischemic stroke events were significantly associated with a one grade deterioration of periventricular hyperintensities (p = 0.003) and a one grade deterioration of DWMH (p = 0.002). Multivariate analysis using the logistic regression model showed that a one grade deterioration of DWMH was an independent risk factor for ischemic stroke (hazard ratio, 6.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.3–27.4).Conclusions: Although several factors affect the occurrence of ischemic stroke, SLE patients show increased risk of ischemic stroke via development of DWMH. An observation of DWMH deterioration on follow-up brain MRI may be useful for assessing the risk of ischemic stroke in SLE patients.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
Ritsuo Hashimoto ◽  
Tomoko Ogawa ◽  
Asako Tagawa ◽  
Hiroyuki Kato

We report the case of a 53-year-old woman diagnosed with corticobasal syndrome (CBS) due to antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) secondary to systemic lupus erythematosus. Brain MRI showed marked cortical atrophy, several small infarctions in the deep white matter, and mild white matter changes, all of which were probably due to thrombosis manifestations of APS and could also be related to the CBS. To the best of our knowledge, this is the fourth reported case of CBS due to APS. It is noteworthy that although the common underlying pathologies of the CBS are neurodegenerative diseases, either primary or secondary APS can manifest itself as the CBS.


Lupus ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 096120332110050
Author(s):  
Rory C Monahan ◽  
Liesbeth JJ Beaart-van de Voorde ◽  
Jeroen Eikenboom ◽  
Rolf Fronczek ◽  
Margreet Kloppenburg ◽  
...  

Introduction We aimed to investigate risk factors for fatigue in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and neuropsychiatric symptoms in order to identify potential interventional strategies. Methods Patients visiting the neuropsychiatric SLE (NPSLE) clinic of the Leiden University Medical Center between 2007–2019 were included. In a multidisciplinary consensus meeting, SLE patients were classified as having neuropsychiatric symptoms of inflammatory origin (inflammatory phenotype) or other origin (non-inflammatory phenotype). Fatigue was assessed with the SF-36 vitality domain (VT) since 2007 and the multidimensional fatigue inventory (MFI) and visual analogue scale (VAS) since 2011. Patients with a score on the SF-36 VT ≥1 standard deviation (SD) away from the mean of age-related controls of the general population were classified as fatigued; patients ≥2 SD away were classified as extremely fatigued. Disease activity was measured using the SLE disease activity index-2000. The influence of the presence of an inflammatory phenotype, disease activity and symptoms of depression and anxiety as measured by the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) was analyzed using multiple regression analyses corrected for age, sex and education. Results 348 out of 371 eligible patients filled in questionnaires and were included in this study . The majority was female (87%) and the mean age was 43 ± 14 years. 72 patients (21%) had neuropsychiatric symptoms of an inflammatory origin. Fatigue was present in 78% of all patients and extreme fatigue was present in 50% of patients with an inflammatory phenotype vs 46% in the non-inflammatory phenotype. Fatigue was similar in patients with an inflammatory phenotype compared to patients with a non-inflammatory phenotype on the SF-36 VT (β: 0.8 (95% CI −4.8; 6.1) and there was less fatigue in patients with an inflammatory phenotype on the MFI and VAS (β: −3.7 (95% CI: −6.9; −0.5) and β: −1.0 (95% CI −1.6; −0.3)). There was no association between disease activity and fatigue, but symptoms of anxiety and depression (HADS) associated strongly with all fatigue measurements. Conclusion This study suggests that intervention strategies to target fatigue in (NP)SLE patients may need to focus on symptoms of anxiety and depression rather than immunosuppressive treatment.


2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Howaida E. Mansour ◽  
Reem A. Habeeb ◽  
Noran O. El-Azizi ◽  
Heba H. Afeefy ◽  
Marwa A. Nassef ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Neuropsychiatric manifestations are frequently reported in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. This study was done to describe electroencephalographic (EEG) findings in SLE patients with neuropsychiatric manifestation (NPSLE). Results Among 60 SLE patients, there were 50 females (83.3%) and 10 males (16.7%). EEG abnormalities were reported in 12 patients out of 30 (40%) with NPSLE, while all patients with non-NPSLE (n = 30) had no EEG abnormalities; diffuse slowing (20%) was the most common abnormalities, followed by generalized epileptiform activity (13.3%), and lastly temporal epileptiform activity (6.7%). Seizure was the most reported neuropsychiatric disorder in 13 patients (43.3%); 8 of them had abnormal EEG (61.5%). Periventricular white matter lesion (23.3%) followed by infarction (13.3%) were the most common MRI brain findings among 53.3% of NPSLE group. Half of the cases with EEG abnormality had normal brain MRI. SLEDAI score and ACL IgM positivity were higher in the NPSLE group than the non-NPSLE group. EEG is not a sensitive or specific test for detecting NPSLE with sensitivity (37.5%) and specificity (57.1%). Conclusion Not all patients with NPSLE must have abnormal brain MRI or EEG. EEG is a useful assistant tool in the assessment of different manifestations of NPSLE, but it cannot be used as a screening test alone and must be supplemented by neuroimaging studies.


2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (11) ◽  
pp. 1431-1440 ◽  
Author(s):  
RaviK. Shastri ◽  
GaurangV. Shah ◽  
Page Wang ◽  
Patricia Cagnoli ◽  
Tobias Schmidt-Wilcke ◽  
...  

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