Brain Metabolic Alteration and Neuropsychiatric Dysfunctions in Childhood - onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 pediatric department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University,Zagazig,Egypt

2 pediatrics, faculty of medicine,Zagazig university,zagazig,Egypt

3 Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine , Zagazig University, Zagazig, Sharkia, Egypt.

4 radiodiagnosis department, faculty of medicine, zagazig university, zagazig, egypt.

Abstract

Background:
Neuropsychiatric Lupus Erythematosus (NPSLE) is the main cause for morbidity and mortality in systemic lupus erythematosus. NPSLE is difficult for the diagnosis. MRS plays an important role for early diagnosis of NPSLE before appearance of neuropsychiatric manifestations and this by the help of neurocognitive assessment tests.
Subjects and Methods:
In this study, we select 30 patients with SLE, aged from 9-17 years old. Then divided them to two groups .one group has neuropsychiatric manifestations and the other group show non neuropsychiatric manifestations use Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to assess any metabolic brain alteration causing neuropsychiatric disorders and compare the results between the two groups results.
Results:
One hundred percent of patients in the study shows abnormal MRS findings instead of only, 36.7% of the studied group shows neuropsychiatric manifestations. There were non- significance differences between both studied groups in MRS findings. There was statistical significance increase in the NPSLE cases than others according to the presence of lupus anti -coagulant antibody.
Conclusion:
NPSLE can be diagnosed easily by MRS for early management which improve the quality of patient’s life. MRS can also detect disease activity very early for reevaluation of management and the efficacy of treatment.

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