Central nervous system involvement in SLE. Diagnostic profile and clinical features

Abstract

The clinical course and diagnostic profile of 13 patients with central nervous system involvement and systemic lupus erythematosus (CNS-SLE) are presented. The diagnostic yield for each procedure was measured as the precent abnormal: CSF total protein was 38%; increased CSF IgG 69%; decreased CSF hemolytic C4 10%; increased CSF anti-DNA 64%; electroencephalogram 80%; flow brain scan 50%; and static brain scan 0%. No single procedure was consistently abnormal, but the battery of tests provided a useful and specific CNS-SLE diagnostic profile.