Aseptic meningitis in systemic lupus erythematosus

✍ Scribed by Juan J. Canoso; Alan S. Cohen

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1975
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 498 KB
• Volume: 18
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0004-3591
• DOI: 10.1002/art.1780180414

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Three patients with aseptic meningitis were subsequently diagnosed as having lupus erythematosus. One patient had a single meningitic episode, another had chronic meningitis, and the third two acute episodes 5 years apart. All 3 patients developed further neuropsychiatric manifestations of SLE, leading to death in 1. Aseptic meningitis appears to be an early manifestation of SLE and may herald more serious brain damage. No new cases of aseptic meningitis occurred in this series after initiation of therapy for SLE. In contrast, bacterial meningitis did occur as a late complication of the disease.