PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Raciborska, Dominika D
AU  - Noyce, Alastair John
AU  - Pyne, Dev
AU  - Turner, Benjamin P
TI  - Lupus myelopathy
AID  - 10.1136/practneurol-2017-001756
DP  - 2018 Feb 01
TA  - Practical Neurology
PG  - 66--69
VI  - 18
IP  - 1
4099  - http://pn.bmj.com/content/18/1/66.short
4100  - http://pn.bmj.com/content/18/1/66.full
SO  - Pract Neurol2018 Feb 01; 18
AB  - Although neurological manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are well recognised, myelopathy complicating SLE is rare. A 35-year-old woman presented with non-specific symptoms and a respiratory tract infection but had serological evidence of SLE. She subsequently deteriorated rapidly, developing a catastrophic spinal cord syndrome. Her initial MRI was normal; but after 1 month, her encephalopathy having progressed, repeat imaging showed characteristic myelitic changes. She responded only slowly to a combination of cyclophosphamide and corticosteroids. This case exemplifies the mixed presentations of SLE, including the under-recognised ‘subpial leukomyelopathy’ of central nervous system lupus. It highlights the challenges in managing lupus-related myelopathy and the benefits of a multidisciplinary approach to care.