ACR classification criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus: limitations and revisions to neuropsychiatric variables

Evaluation of the Efficacy and Safety of Anifrolumab in Moderate-to-Severe Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease, which poses significant challenges due to its chronic nature and complex clinical manifestations. For patients with moderate-to-severe SLE, anifrolumab, a monoclonal antibody that targets the type 1 interferon receptor (IFNAR), has emerged as a cutting-edge treatment option that can reduce disease activity, prevent organ damage from the illness or side effects resulting from medications, and enhance the quality of life for those living with SLE. Consequently, this drug has received approval from major regulatory agencies. Anifrolumab's safety, effectiveness, and long-term results are assessed in this systematic review using information from clinical trials, real-world research, and retrospective analysis. In particular, clinical investigations, such as the MUSE Phase II and TULIP Phase III trials, showed that anifrolumab significantly improved important outcomes compared to placebo, including the SLE Responder Index, major clinical response, and disease activity ratings. During extended use, anifrolumab demonstrated significant sustained efficacy and a tolerable safety profile, with controllable side events mostly associated with viral infections. Moreover, subgroup analyses, demonstrating that Asian patients and individuals with a strong interferon gene profile are particularly responsive to anifrolumab, underscore the importance of customized treatment methods. Anifrolumab's safety and effectiveness were further validated by real-world data, particularly in patients who reached the Lupus Low Disease Activity State (LLDAS), where the drug decreased glucocorticoid consumption and disease activity. Overall, anifrolumab shows great promise as a treatment for moderate-to-severe SLE, providing significant efficacy together with a manageable safety profile. To fully explore its therapeutic potential and optimize therapy approaches for the management of SLE, further research is necessary, especially in lupus nephritis and other disease subsets.

Patients' Preferences for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Treatments-A Discrete Choice Experiment

BACKGROUND

Symptoms of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) vary between patients, but those of increased disease activity typically include musculoskeletal and mucocutaneous manifestations such as joint pain, swelling, and rashes. Several treatment options are available to patients with SLE with variable efficacy. Many treatments, especially corticosteroids, cause unwanted side effects, although little is currently known about patients' preferences for treatments of SLE.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to identify which attributes of SLE treatment are valued by patients and to quantify their relative importance.

METHODS

Adult participants with moderate-to-severe SLE were asked to make a series of choices between two hypothetical treatments in an online discrete choice experiment (DCE). A latent class model (LCL) was estimated to analyze choice data. Relative attribute importance (RAI) was calculated to determine the importance of each attribute to participants.

RESULTS

A total of 342 participants from the USA completed the survey. A three-class LCL model was found to have the best fit. Class 1 (non-attenders) had non-significant preferences across all attributes. To achieve a better fit, a constrained LCL (cLCL) model was run with the two remaining classes. The most important attributes for participants in class 2 (benefit-seekers) were joint pain (RAI = 32.0%), non-joint pain (RAI = 21.8%), fatigue (RAI = 20.1%), and skin rashes and itching (RAI = 19.1%). The most important attributes for participants in class 3 (risk-avoiders) were risk of non-severe side effects from corticosteroids (RAI = 28.4%), risk of severe side effects from corticosteroids (RAI = 21.4%), and the risk of infections (RAI = 19.2%). Risk-avoiders were more likely to have been diagnosed with SLE for a longer period (>1 year) and were more likely to have experience with oral corticosteroids.

CONCLUSIONS

SLE patients fall into two groups with distinct preferences: benefit-seekers, who prioritize reducing the impact of disease symptoms, and risk-avoiders, who prioritize avoiding treatment risks. The implication of this finding will depend on the reasons for these differences, which warrant further research. Our study suggests that these differences arise due to the impact of disease and treatment experience on preferences. If so, well-informed patients may not be willing to tolerate the risks associated with oral corticosteroids in exchange for their benefits.

Correlation Between B-Cell Activating Factor of the Tumor Necrosis Factor Family Level in Serum and Immune Inflammation in Patients with Neuropsychiatric Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and its Clinical Value

OBJECTIVE

Neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) is a form of SLE associated with severe NP syndromes causing mortality and morbidity. Respecting the fundamental of BAFF in NPSLE pathophysiology, we investigated its clinical value.

METHODS

Totally 105 NPSLE and 101 SLE cases without NPSLE (non-NPSLE, control) were included. Serum BAFF/TNF-α/IL-6/IL-10 levels were measured using ELISA kits. T lymphocytes were detected by flow cytometry. The independent influencing factors for NPSLE, and the auxiliary diagnostic efficacy and the ability of BAFF levels to predict adverse prognosis of NPSLE patients were analyzed by multiple factor logistic regression, and ROC curve and survival curve.

RESULTS

In NPSLE patients, serum BAFF level was increased and positively correlated with SLEDAI-2k, serum proinflammatory cytokines, while negatively correlated with CD4+T/CD8+T cells, and anti-inflammatory cytokine. High serum BAFF protein level was associated with a higher risk of developing NPSLE. The AUC of serum BAFF > 301.7 assisting in NPSLE diagnosis was 0.8196. Furthermore, high levels of serum BAFF were associated with a higher risk of adverse outcomes in NPSLE patients.          .

CONCLUSION

Serum BAFF level in NPSLE patients was correlated with lymphocytes and high serum BAFF protein level could assist in diagnosis and to predict adverse outcomes in NPSLE patients.

What is known about the effects of vitamin D in neuropsychiatric lupus?

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease that can affect several organs and systems. The central and/or peripheral nervous system can suffer from complications known as neuropsychiatric lupus (NPSLE). Studies have associated the manifestations of SLE or NPSLE with vitamin D deficiency. It has been shown that hypovitaminosis D can lead to cognition deficits and cerebral hypoperfusion in patients with NPSLE. In this review article, we will address the main features related to vitamin D supplementation or serum vitamin D levels with neuropsychiatric manifestations, either in patients or in animal models of NPSLE.

Nationwide analysis of neuromyelitis optica in systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjogren's syndrome

OBJECTIVE

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO), also known as Devic's disease, is a rare inflammatory demyelinating disorder causing myelitis and optic neuritis. While there have been reports of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and primary Sjogren's syndrome (SS) occurring with NMO, a formal association is not established. We aimed to investigate the occurrence of NMO in SLE and SS patients and study the clinical characteristics and outcomes of NMO and SLE/SS hospitalizations utilizing the national inpatient sample (NIS) database.

METHODS

The NIS database from 2016 to 2019 was used to extract data. Adult hospitalizations with the principal or secondary diagnosis of NMO were included. We classified NMO patients with and without concomitant diagnosis of SLE or Sjogren's syndrome. We evaluated and compared the clinical characteristics and outcomes of NMO hospitalizations with and without SLE or Sjogren's syndrome. STATA17 was used for data analysis. We also calculated the odds ratio of NMO in SLE and Sjogren's syndrome.

RESULTS

There were a total of 16,360 adult hospitalizations with the principal or secondary discharge diagnosis of NMO. Among all NMO hospitalizations, 1425 (8.71%) had the primary or secondary diagnosis of SLE or SS. The odds of NMO in SLE and Sjogren's syndrome were noted to be 12.29 and 5.56, respectively. NMO with SLE/SS group had higher proportion of females (89.82% vs 79%, P value < 0.001), African Americans (56.63% vs 38.28, P value < 0.001), and Asians (5.73% vs 3.25, P value 0.04). The Charlson comorbidity index was higher for NMO-SLE/SS overlap (2.44 vs 1.28, P value < 0.001). There was no significant difference in overall mortality rates of both groups (2.11% vs 1.2%, P value 0.197). There were significantly higher reported seizures (14.73% vs 6.05, P value < 0.001) and paraplegia (21.75% vs 13.93%, P value < 0.001) in NMO-SLE/SS patients. These patients also had a longer length of stay in comparison to the reference group (7 vs 5 days, P value < 0.001) as well as higher total charges.

CONCLUSIONS

NMO patients had a 12-fold higher risk of SLE and 5-fold higher risk of Sjogren's disease when compared to general population. Patients with overlap of NMO and SLE or Sjogren's were predominantly women and were more likely to be African-American. Co-existence of these autoimmune disorders was associated with poor prognosis in terms of higher morbidity for patients and increased health care burden. Key Points • NMO is a rare autoimmune disease seen predominantly in women in the middle age group with low overall mortality. • SLE and Sjogren's have increased odds of NMO in comparison to general population. • NMO patients have high rates of several complications such as paraplegia, quadriplegia, seizures, blindness, sepsis, and respiratory failure with even higher rates of seizures and paraplegia in those with concomitant SLE or Sjogren's.

Plasmapheresis for a Patient with Catatonia and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Case Report and Literature Review

Neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematous (NPSLE) encompasses various psychiatric and neurological manifestations that develop in patients with systemic lupus erythematous (SLE), secondary to the involvement of the central nervous system (CNS). Although neuropsychiatric manifestations are commonly described in NPSLE, catatonia has been less frequently reported in patients with SLE. The roles of benzodiazepines (BZDs), immunosuppression, therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE), and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) have all been reported in the management of catatonia. Furthermore, another research reported that catatonic symptoms associated with NPSLE were considerably improved by TPE. We, herein, report a case of catatonia in a patient with newly diagnosed NPSLE who exhibited a favorable prognosis through the early initiation of systemic immunosuppressants and TPE. Furthermore, we have reviewed the literature on the role of medication and plasmapheresis (PP), or TPE, in the treatment of catatonia that is associated with SLE.

Advances in SLE classification criteria

This year, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 1982 classification criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) celebrate their 40th anniversary. From this start, the quest for optimal SLE criteria has led to the 1997 ACR update, the 2012 publication of the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) criteria, and, in 2019, the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR)/ACR classification criteria. The latter have since been externally validated in more than two dozen studies and have become the gold standard inclusion criterion of SLE clinical trials. This comprehensive review attempts to follow the evolving success story of SLE classification, highlighting relevant decisions and their rationale, and discussing consequences for the way SLE is defined and managed.

Evaluation of depression and general health assessment among systemic lupus erythematosus patients in relation to disease activity and damage

Background

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune illness defined by involvement of several systems and a variety of clinical symptoms among them the neuropsychiatric manifestations. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the presence of depression and to assess overall health in individuals with SLE, as well as their relation to SLE disease activity and damage. Sixty adult SLE patients were enrolled, along with sixty age and sex-matched controls. For the presence of major depression, all patients were examined using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) for mental distress. Antinuclear antibody, anti-ds DNA, complements 3 and 4, and anti-ribosomal P antibody were performed for SLE patients. The SLEDAI-2 K and SLEDDI were assessed.

Results

The 60 patients were 52 (86.7%) females and 8 (13.3%) men, with a mean age of 32.5 ± 11.5 years and disease duration of 3.57 ± 3.55 years. Patients with depression accounted for 43 (71.6%) of the total, whereas controls accounted for just 14 (23.3%). Patients with substantial depression had significantly higher SLEDAI-2 K, SLEDDI, and illness duration than those without major depression (p = 0.047, p = 0.043, and p = 0.033, respectively). The patients’ mean GHQ-12 score was 17 ± 5.96, whereas the control group's was 10.0 ± 67.30, with a p value of 0.002. SLEDAI-2 K, SLEDDI, and depression score had a substantial positive association (p = 0.001, p = 0.042), while BDI-II and GHQ-12 had a significant positive correlation (p 0.001).

Conclusions

Depression and psychological distress were both common in SLE patients. Depression severity was linked to illness duration, activity, and damage.

Elevated serum free IL-18 in neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus patients with seizure disorders

BACKGROUND

Since dysregulation of total Interleukin (IL)-18 and IL-18 binding protein (IL-18BP) may participate in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and contribute to the occurrence of non-autoimmune epilepsy, the aim of the current work is to investigate whether the interaction between IL-18 and IL-18BP plays any role in neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus related seizures.

METHODS

Data from 137 SLE patients and 30 healthy controls (HC) were consecutively collected from 2020 to 2021. Serum levels of total IL-18 and IL-18BP for all patients and HC were measured by ELISA test. Free IL-18 was calculated based on the law of mass action.

RESULTS

Among the 137 SLE patients, 103 had active disease and were classified into NPSLE (n = 50) and Non-NPSLE (n = 53) groups. Among the NPSLE patients, 16 had seizure disorders. Serum free IL-18 levels were increased in NPSLE (277.6 [150.9-428.8]pg/mL) and were correlated with disease activity (r = 0.268, p = 0.002). Moreover, serum free IL-18 levels in NPSLE patients with seizure disorders (350.9 [237.9-455.9]pg/mL) were significantly higher than the levels in those with other neuropsychiatric symptoms (237.7 [124.6-428.8] pg/mL).

CONCLUSIONS

The expression of free IL-18 was increased in neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus(NPSLE), especially in NPSLE related seizures. Also, serum levels of free IL-18 were significantly increased in active SLE patients. In this regard, free IL-18 may be involved in the pathogenesis of NPSLE related seizures and associated with disease activity.

Alterations of spontaneous brain activity in systematic lupus erythematosus patients without neuropsychiatric symptoms: A resting-functional MRI study

PURPOSE

To explore the alterations of spontaneous neuronal activity using amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF), fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF), and regional homogeneity (ReHo) in non-NPSLE patients and their relationship with the anxiety and depression statuses.

METHODS

Twenty-three non-NPSLE patients and 28 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was firstly analyzed by ALFF, fALFF, and ReHo. The relationships between ALFF/fALFF/ReHo values of abnormal regions and anxiety/depression rating scales, including Self-Rating Anxiety (SAS) and Self-Rating Depression (SDS), were also analyzed.

RESULTS

Compared with HC, non-NPSLE had decreased ALFF values in the bilateral postcentral gyrus, while increased ALFF values in the bilateral inferior temporal gyrus, left putamen, and bilateral precuneus. Non-NPSLE showed reduced fALFF values in the left lingual gyrus, left middle occipital gyrus, right postcentral gyrus, and left superior parietal gyrus, while increased fALFF values were in the left inferior temporal gyrus, right hippocampus, bilateral precuneus, and bilateral superior frontal gyrus. Reduced ReHo values were in the bilateral postcentral gyrus and higher ReHo values were in the left inferior temporal gyrus, left putamen, and bilateral superior frontal gyrus. In the non-NPSLE group, the mean ALFF values of bilateral precuneus were positively correlated with the SAS rating scales (R = 0.5519, p = 0.0176); either were the mean ALFF values of right inferior temporal gyrus and SAS rating scales (R = 0.5380, p = 0.0213). The mean fALFF values of left inferior temporal gyrus were positively correlated with SAS rating scales (R = 0.5700, p = 0.0135). And the mean ReHo values of left putamen were positively correlated with SDS (R = 0.5477, p = 0.0186).

CONCLUSION

Non-NPSLE exhibited abnormal spontaneous neural activity and coherence in several brain regions mainly associated with cognitive and emotional functions. The ALFF values of bilateral PCUN, the right ITG, the fALFF values of left ITG, and the ReHo values of left PUT may be complementary biomarkers for assessing the psychiatric symptoms.

Association of lipoproteins and thyroid hormones with cognitive dysfunction in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Background

Neuropsychiatric manifestations occur in up to 75% of adult systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and are one of the major causes of death in SLE patients. Cognitive dysfunction is a typical clinical feature of neuropsychiatric SLE (NPSLE), which seriously affects the quality of life of patients. Dyslipidaemia and thyroid symptoms, which are prevalent in SLE patients, have both been related to neuropsychiatric disturbances, including significant psychiatric and cognitive disturbances. This study aimed to investigate whether cognitive dysfunction in patients with SLE was related to the expression of serum thyroid hormone and lipoprotein levels.

Methods

A total of 121 patients with SLE and 65 healthy controls (HCs) at Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital completed a cognitive function test, and 81 SLE patients were divided into a high-cognition (n = 33) group and a low-cognition group (n = 48). The clinical and laboratory characteristics of the patients were compared; moreover, correlations between serum HDL-C, LDL-C, F-T3 and F-T4 levels and cognitive function were analysed. Serum levels of APOE, APOA1, IGF-1, and IGFBP7 in 81 patients were detected by ELISA, and the correlation between these four proteins and cognition was analysed separately.

Results

The patients with SLE with abnormal cognitive function were less educated than the HCs. For low-cognition patients, the levels of albumin, F-T3 (P <  0.05) and F-T4 decreased, while D-dimer, anti-dsDNA antibody, and IgM levels increased. Serum F-T3 and F-T4 levels positively correlated with cognition. Furthermore, serum protein levels of APOE and APOA1 showed no difference between the high- and low-cognition groups. However, the serum APOE levels were negatively correlated with line orientation scores, and APOA1 levels were positively correlated with coding scores.

Conclusions

Serum F-T3 and F-T4 levels were both positively correlated with four indexes of cognition (language was the exception), while serum APOE levels were negatively correlated with line orientation scores, APOA1 levels were positively correlated with coding scores, and IGFBP7 levels were negatively correlated with figure copy scores. These results demonstrated that F-T3 and F-T4 might be clinical biomarkers of cognitive dysfunction in SLE.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s41927-021-00190-7.

Neuropsychiatric Lupus: A Challenging Journey of a Patient With Pulmonary Tuberculosis

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a disease that affects multiple systems in the body. Due to its variable manifestations, it can at times pose challenges for physicians to hold SLE as the culprit behind an affected system. This is most true when encountering patients with neuropsychiatric manifestations of SLE. We present a case of a 38-year-old female with known SLE limited to skin involvement and on treatment for active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB), yet otherwise healthy, who presented with acute fever associated with generalized tonic-clonic seizures. She was investigated for meningoencephalitis with a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis not being fully conclusive and with imaging features suggestive of viral encephalitis. However, despite receiving optimal care for causes of bacterial, viral, and tuberculous meningitis the patient continued to deteriorate and started to develop predominant psychiatric symptoms in the form of confusion and combative behavior requiring pharmacological restraint. Hence a trial of immunosuppressives was given with a presumptive diagnosis of neuropsychiatric lupus with IV methylprednisolone followed by a course of IV cyclophosphamide. However, this treatment proceeded with caution due to the fear of disseminated tuberculosis for which she did not show any sign of in the subsequent weeks. The patient showed modest clinical and radiological improvement and hence the treatment was continued. The case highlights the uncertainty that may precede a diagnosis of neuropsychiatric lupus and the challenges in treating it in patients with active mycobacterial infection.

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome: A neuropsychiatric manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus

Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES) is an acute neurological syndrome clinically characterized by seizures, altered mental status, headache, and visual disturbances. It is caused by a variety of abnormalities in the endothelial function that ultimately result in vasogenic edema in the circulation of the central nervous system. This is reflected by the neuroimaging findings, that most often show reversible parieto-occipital edema. An important proportion of patients with PRES present with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), and its complications, as their sole risk factors. This review describes the relationship between these two clinical entities and explains the pathophysiological models that have been proposed to describe the development of PRES. We explain how SLE can cause alterations in every pathway implicated in the development of PRES. Given the relatively high frequency and the distinct clinical course, PRES in the setting of SLE might be best described as a distinct neuropsychiatric syndrome associated with SLE.

A comparison of the performance of the 2019 European League Against Rheumatism/American College of Rheumatology criteria and the 2012 Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics criteria with the 1997 American College of Rheumatology classification criteria for systemic lupus erythematous in new-onset Chinese patients

Background

New criteria published by the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) and the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) use a point system that gives varying weight to each of 22 criteria. The aim of this study was to compare the performance of the 2019 EULAR/ACR criteria and the 2012 Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) criteria with the 1997 ACR criteria in a Chinese cohort.

Methods

A cross-sectional observation study of patients with a clinical diagnosis of SLE was performed. We collected 199 new-onset SLE patients and 175 control subjects. The data were retrospectively collected to establish the patients who fulfilled the 1997 ACR, 2012 SLICC and 2019 EULAR/ACR criteria. The sensitivity and specificity of the three classification criteria were compared using McNemar’s test.

Results

The sensitivity and specificity of the 2019 EULAR/ACR criteria were 96.5% and 90.3%, respectively. For the 2012 SLICC criteria, the sensitivity and specificity were 92.0% and 84.0%, respectively, while for the 1997 ACR criteria, these two values were 75.4% and 96.0%. Leucopaenia (62%), arthritis (54%) and autoimmune haemolysis (45%) were the most frequently observed clinical manifestations in the group that fulfilled the 2019 EULAR/ACR criteria. Fever was reported by 39% of participants.

Conclusion

Compared with the 1997 ACR and 2012 SLICC criteria, the 2019 EULAR/ACR criteria performed best in terms of sensitivity but less well in terms of specificity in Chinese new-onset lupus patients.

Expression of HMGB1 and TLR4 in neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus patients with seizure disorders

Background

Previous studies show that the high-mobility group box protein 1 (HMGB1) and the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) participate in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The two molecules contribute to the occurrence and persistence of seizures in various disease conditions, such as epilepsy. Since seizures are one of the most severe complications associated with neuropsychiatric SLE (NPSLE), the current study aimed at investigating whether HMGB1 and TLR4 play any role in NPSLE related seizures.

Methods

Data from 291 SLE patients and 100 healthy controls (HC) were prospectively collected from 2013 to 2018. The ELISA test was used to determine serum levels of HMGB1 for all patients and HC and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of NPSLE patients. The expression levels of TLR4 by the peripheral blood monocytes (PBMCs) were determined by real-time PCR of TLR4 mRNA. Binary logistic regression and ROC curve analysis were used to predict NPSLE.

Results

Among the 291 SLE patients, 188 had active disease and were grouped into two, NPSLE (N=86) and Non-NPSLE (N=102) groups. Among the NPSLE patients, 21 had seizure disorders. Serum HMGB1 levels were increased in NPSLE (8.73±0.29 ng/mL) and were associated with disease activity (r=0.6527, P=0.000). Both serum and CSF HMGB1 levels in NPSLE patients with seizure disorders (9.59±0.63 and 2.90±2.29 ng/mL, respectively) were higher than in patients with other neuropsychiatric symptoms (8.45±0.33 and 2.56±1.70 ng/mL, respectively), though without significance. The gene expression of mRNA TLR4 in PBMCs was similar to serum HMGB1 in the investigated groups. Independent predictors of NPSLE were SLEDAI-2k (OR 1.25; 95% CI: 1.155-1.353), serum HMGB1 (OR 1.659; 95% CI: 1.266-2.175), and anti-Rib-P Ab (OR 3.296; 95% CI: 1.013-10.725). ROC curves for the above predictors had a large AUC (95% CI) of 0.936 (0.900-0.971), indicating a good prediction of NPSLE occurrence.

Conclusions

The expression of HMGB1 and TLR4 was increased in NPSLE, but HMGB1 and TLR4 had minimal effect on NPSLE related seizures. The serum levels of HMGB1 were positively correlated with disease activity, and could, therefore, be a potential biomarker of NPSLE for use in future clinical practice.

Urinary pro-thrombotic, anti-thrombotic, and fibrinolytic molecules as biomarkers of lupus nephritis

Objective

This study evaluates the utility of urinary pro-thrombotic molecules such as tissue factor (TF), anti-thrombotic molecules such as tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI), and fibrinolytic molecules such as plasmin and d-dimer as biomarkers of lupus nephritis (LN).

Methods

Urine samples from 113 biopsy-proven LN patients (89 active LN and 24 inactive LN), 45 chronic kidney disease patients, and 41 healthy controls were examined for d-dimer, plasmin, TF, and TFPI levels by ELISA. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) analysis, multivariate regression analysis, and Bayesian network analysis were performed to assess the diagnostic value of the assayed molecules in LN.

Results

Although urinary d-dimer, plasmin, TF, and TFPI were all elevated in active LN compared to all control groups, and correlated with rSLEDAI and SLICC RAS disease activity indices, urine plasmin emerged as the strongest independent predictor of eGFR and renal disease status, by multivariate regression analysis and Bayesian network analysis. Whereas urine plasmin discriminated active LN from inactive disease with an AUC of 0.84, the combination of urine plasmin and TFPI discriminated ALN from ILN with an AUC of 0.86, with both surpassing the specificity and positive predictive value of traditional markers such as anti-dsDNA and complement C3.

Conclusion

Both thrombogenic and thrombolytic cascades appear to be upregulated in lupus nephritis, with proteins from both cascades appearing in the urine. Of the coagulation cascade proteins surveyed, urine plasmin emerges as the strongest predictor of eGFR and clinical renal disease in patients with LN.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13075-019-1959-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Cytokine secretion and the risk of depression development in patients with connective tissue diseases

Research in the past two decades has revolutionized our understanding of depressive illnesses. Proinflammatory cytokines have become a point of interest in the interconnecting areas of neuropsychiatric and autoimmune diseases. The cytokine hypothesis of depression suggests that pro-inflammatory cytokines play a primary role in the mediation of the pathophysiological characteristics of major depression, in which an inflammatory process may be induced by external and internal stressors, such as psychological and inflammatory diseases, respectively. The higher prevalence of depression, particularly in patients with chronic autoimmune connective tissue disorders (CTD), suggests that depression may present a dysfunctional adaptation of cytokine-induced sickness, which could manifest in times of an exacerbated activation of the innate immune system. Inflammation is thought to contribute to the development of clinical depression through its ability to induce sickness behaviors corresponding to the neurovegetative features of depression, through the dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, alterations in neurotransmitter synthesis and reuptake, and through its involvement in the neuroprogression pathways. This review explores the complex interrelationships in which inflammatory responses alter neuroendocrine and neuropsychological regulation contributing to depressive symptoms in CTD. The prevalence and characteristics of depression, and its correlation to the levels of inflammatory cytokines and disease activity among different CTD will be reviewed.

Polymorphisms of human glucocorticoid receptor gene in systemic lupus erythematosus: a single-centre result

BACKGROUND

SLE is a systemic autoimmune disorder with multiple organ manifestations. Despite of the innovations glucocorticoids (GC) have still remained the first-line therapy in SLE. Besides HSD11B enzymes, intracellular glucocorticoid receptors (GR) affect tissue-specific cortisol effect and the consequent signalisation pathway. SNPs of the glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1) modulate individual sensitivity to glucocorticoids. Our aim was to determine the allele frequency of the three, clinically most important SNPs in a SLE patient population in comparison to healthy volunteers and to find association with particular manifestations of SLE.

METHODS

We analysed results of 104 SLE patients compared to 160 healthy subjects. All patients were genotyped for the functional GR polymorphisms BclI, N363S, and A3669G. The GR gene polymorphisms were determined using allele-specific PCR and Taqman allelic discrimination assays.

RESULTS

The BclI allele frequency was lower in the SLE group compared to the healthy control group. The central nervous system and especially psychiatric symptoms developed more frequently in the BclI carriers compared to none carriers. The prevalence of theA3669G polymorphism was the same in both groups, but showed a negative association with the psychiatric symptoms.

CONCLUSION

The increased and decreased sensitivity associated with GR BclI and A3669G polymorphisms could have a pathogenic significance in SLE especial with the central nervous system and psychiatric symptoms. Improving our knowledge on the importance of GR polymorphisms may reveal their pathophysiologic and therapeutic consequences.

My life with lupus: contextual responses of African-American women with systemic lupus participating in a peer mentoring intervention to improve disease self-management

OBJECTIVE

The current article seeks to examine the ways in which African-American women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) describe their disease experience and how they cope with their disease. This qualitative study provides deeper insight into whether experiences of African-American women with SLE differ from previous qualitative study findings.

METHODS

Qualitative data were gathered using interviews and a focus group, from participants in the Peer Approaches to Lupus Self-management (PALS) programme. Data were analysed for themes related to disease experience and how participants cope with their disease. Twenty-seven African-American women with SLE were recruited into the peer mentoring programme, of which 7 served as mentors and 20 served as mentees. A 12-week peer mentoring intervention delivered by phone and based on the Chronic Disease Self-Management and Arthritis Self-Management Programs.

RESULTS

Three categories encompassing a total of 10 subcategories emerged from analyses: (A) interpersonal, familialandromantic relationships; (B) individual experiences of living with SLE; and (C) physician-patient relationships.

CONCLUSION

We gained insight on several issues related to patient perspectives of African-American women with SLE, and the context surrounding their thoughts and feelings related to lupus, including their providers, families and other social support networks. Additional research efforts could explore and address the thematic domains and respective subthemes identified here. Although limited due to the preliminary nature of the study, this information can be used to create future evidence-based interventions to decrease the impact of SLE on African-American patients.

Systemic lupus erythematosus: nothing stale her infinite variety

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a representative systemic autoimmune disease that has various types of manifestations in multiple organs. Additionally, SLE is one of the most variable diseases in its epidemiology and etiology with heterogenous types of immune dysfunction. Since the word 'lupus' has first appeared in the literature in the Middle Ages, clinical/pathological knowledges have massively accumulated that contributed to the establishments and improvements of classification criteria, therapeutic agents or assessments of disease activity. Along with them, the survival rate of patients with SLE has dramatically improved. However, the mortality rate is still higher compared with the healthy population and the progress in basic, translational and clinical research are expected to lead to new insights into pathogenesis and identifying novel targets for therapy.

Practice Variations in the Diagnosis, Monitoring, and Treatment of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in Canada

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in Canada.

METHODS

A 63-question electronic survey was developed with the Canadian Rheumatology Association and others. Descriptive analyses of responses were performed.

RESULTS

Survey respondents (n = 175) reported varying practices in the diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of SLE. Performance of laboratory investigations for diagnosis and monitoring varied, with 78% of responders performing them at least every 6 months. Validated measures of SLE disease activity and damage were not commonly used. Most common first-line agents besides steroids for induction therapy for class III or IV lupus nephritis included intravenous cyclophosphamide and mycophenolate mofetil. Antimalarial use was common, with 96% of respondents using these in active skin disease. Over 60% of respondents indicated that 80-100% of their patients were taking antimalarials, while another 25% indicated they used these drugs in up to 80% of their patients. There were 71% of responders who reported completing frequent (6-12 mos) ophthalmology screening in patients taking antimalarials. Biologics were infrequently used. Responders were more likely to stop azathioprine and chloroquine than hydroxychloroquine in pregnant patients with SLE. Other aspects of routine care including vaccination and cardiovascular risk management varied considerably. The majority (80%) agreed that a dedicated multidisciplinary care team would improve SLE care.

CONCLUSION

Considerable practice variation in SLE management was noted. This may help inform future recommendations for the diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of SLE in Canada.

Neurological Disease in Lupus: Toward a Personalized Medicine Approach

The brain and nervous system are important targets for immune-mediated damage in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), resulting in a complex spectrum of neurological syndromes. Defining nervous system disease in lupus poses significant challenges. Among the difficulties to be addressed are a diversity of clinical manifestations and a lack of understanding of their mechanistic basis. However, despite these challenges, progress has been made in the identification of pathways which contribute to neurological disease in SLE. Understanding the molecular pathogenesis of neurological disease in lupus will inform both classification and approaches to clinical trials.

Definition of NPSLE: Does the ACR Nomenclature Still Hold?

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients have frequently neuropsychiatric manifestations. From the first description of coma in 1875, a variety of manifestations has been described to occur in SLE. However, the lack of standardization reduced the comparability of published studies. In 1999, the American College of Rheumatology published guidelines to define neuropsychiatric nomenclature in SLE. This was the first step toward uniform diagnostic criteria. Several studies have been published since then applying the ACR criteria and frequencies of different manifestations can now be compared between cohorts. Although these criteria are diagnostic, therapeutic approach to different manifestations varies according to nature and severity of the manifestations. Herby, we will review the different definition for NPSLE published, and determine advantages and limitation.

"We Would Still Find Things to Talk About": Assessment of Mentor Perspectives in a Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Intervention to Improve Disease Self-Management, Empowering SLE Patients

BACKGROUND

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disorder with significant disparate impact on African American women. The current study sought to highlight how the Peer Approaches to Lupus Self-management (PALS) intervention worked bi-directionally wherein both women with SLE leading the disease self-management program (mentors), and those participants who served as mentees, were empowered toward greater disease self-efficacy.

METHODS

Data was captured for this study in two formats from the seven mentors participating in the pilot study: 1) mentor logs and 2) mentor interviews with the principle investigator. This information was then analyzed for themes relating to their experience within the study.

RESULTS

We found that empowerment was facilitated by mentors taking their mentorship responsibilities seriously and seeking several avenues for collaboratively developing success with their mentees. Mentors reported that although challenges arose, their desire for success resulted in multiple approaches to be flexible and responsive to the needs of their mentees. Additionally, reciprocity was found to be a vital element of the program.

CONCLUSIONS

Key thematic areas supported our ability to demonstrate the usefulness of a peer mentoring program for SLE disease self-management on evoking empowerment through reciprocal relationships among mentors and mentees within our study population. Furthermore the feedback from PALS participants yielded very rich and contextual information that can be used as a thematic guide for developing and refining evidence-based interventions that seek to incorporate empowerment into disease self-management efforts for women suffering from SLE.

Late diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus and antiphospholipid syndrome in an older woman with psychosis: a case report and review of the literature

In older adults with first-time psychiatric manifestations, physical disorders such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) must be considered, even in patients with cognitive dysfunction and/or dementia. Here, we describe the case of a 77-year-old woman with psychosis who was later diagnosed with SLE and APS.

A critical analysis of the tools to evaluate neuropsychiatric lupus

Neuropsychiatric symptoms occur commonly in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, but they are not always due to active disease. It is crucial to identify cases that are due to active systemic lupus erythematosus so that appropriate treatment can be instituted. There is no single serological or imaging test that distinguishes active neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus from neuropsychiatric manifestations caused by other factors such as infection. Most patients with neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus have generalised features of disease activity. Raised anti-dsDNA and low C3 complement levels are often seen, but are not an invariable guide. The presence of antiphospholipid antibodies is more suggestive of thrombotic than inflammatory causation. A number of other autoantibody tests have been proposed as biomarkers for neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus, but results in clinical studies have been inconsistent and none has so far entered routine clinical practice. Cerebrospinal fluid features and magnetic resonance imaging appearances are non-specific in neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus, but are useful in excluding other causes of neuropsychiatric symptoms. Newer magnetic resonance imaging sequences show promise for distinguishing new neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus activity from previous damage and recent research suggests these may correlate with changes in cognitive function in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. However, formal cognitive testing is seldom carried out in the acute setting.

Diagnosing and attributing neuropsychiatric events to systemic lupus erythematosus: time to untie the Gordian knot?

Neurological and psychiatric syndromes, collectively referred to as NPSLE, occur frequently in SLE. The frequency of NPSLE varies from 21 to 95%; however, only 13-38% of neuropsychiatric (NP) events could be attributable to SLE in the NPSLE SLICC inception cohort. This variability in the frequency of NPSLE is attributable to the low specificity of the ACR case definitions for SLE-attributed NP syndromes, inclusion of minor NP events in the ACR nomenclature, difficulty in ascertainment of NP events and diverse experience of rheumatologists in the clinical assessment of NP events. Making the correct and early attribution of NP events to SLE is important to institute appropriate immunosuppressive treatment for favourable outcomes. Various attribution models using composite decision rules have been developed and used to ascribe NP events to SLE. This review will focus on the various clinical presentations, diagnostic work-up and attributions of the common NPSLE syndromes, including other NP events not included in the ACR nomenclature but which have come to attention in recent years.

Ribosomal P antibody: 30 years on the road

The identity of the protein antigens targeted by anti-cytoplasmic antibodies in lupus was discovered 30 years ago. These antigens are three acidic ribosomal phosphoproteins, P0, P1, and P2. Precise identification of the shared epitope on these three proteins enabled sensitive and specific immunoassays to be developed. Anti-P antibodies are highly specific for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and occur in 15%–35% of patients, depending on ethnicity as well as the age of onset. Increased frequencies of detection of anti-P have been reported in childhood SLE as well as in neuropsychiatric, renal, and hepatic disease. While longitudinal studies by the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) consortium supported the association of anti-P with neuropsychiatric lupus, the predictive value of antibody determination remains controversial. This is likely explained by the heterogeneity of neuropsychiatric lupus as well as by the different methodologies used for assay. A number of experimental studies have suggested a direct pathogenic role for anti-P antibodies in brain disease. Findings include cross reactivity between anti-P and a neuronal surface antigen, which was detected in areas of the brain involved in memory, cognition, and emotion. Direct injection of anti-P antibodies into the brains of rodents was also associated with abnormal electrical activity and behavioral disturbances. Taken together, research over the last 30 years has established anti-P antibodies as a useful diagnostic marker of SLE and at least a subset of patients with neuropsychiatric disease. Further research is required to fine tune the association of anti-P with clinical manifestations and establish beyond high probability a pathophysiologic role for the antibodies.

Global Cognitive Impairment in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients: A Structural MRI Study

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated differences in subcortical brain volumes of SLE patients with cognitive deficits (SLE-CD) and SLE patients with normal cognitive performance (SLE-CN), regardless of the presence of other neuropsychiatric symptoms.

METHOD

We studied 40 patients divided into two-matched groups (SLE-CD n = 20; SLE-CN n = 20), with age ranging from 21 to 63 years old (100 % female) and 14.73 ± 10.18 years of diagnosis. Magnetic resonance imaging exams were performed on a 1.5 T scanner. A neuropsychological flexible battery was applied individually, including reasoning/problem-solving, praxis, episodic and working memory, processing speed, language/fluency, executive functions (inhibition and flexibility), and sustained attention. Z score ≤ - 2.0 in any dimension was considered as a cut-off for being considered to possess cognitive deficits. One-way analyses of covariance (ANCOVA) were performed to compare the brain structure volumes between groups. The analyses were controlled for the effects of lupus-related neuropsychiatric disorders.

RESULTS

SLE patients with cognitive deficits had significantly smaller volumes in the left hippocampus, amygdala, and the right hippocampus than SLE patients without cognitive deficits.

CONCLUSION

SLE patients with cognitive deficits appeared to have reduced temporal lobe structures when compared with SLE without cognitive deficits. These results corroborate a systems vulnerability model that investigated temporal lobe vulnerability during normal aging and in other neurological disorders.

Prevalence of depression and anxiety in systemic lupus erythematosus: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients are at high risk for depression and anxiety. However, the estimated prevalence of these disorders varies substantially between studies. This systematic review aimed to establish pooled prevalence levels of depression and anxiety among adult SLE patients.

METHODS

We systematically reviewed databases including PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane database library from their inception to August 2016. Studies presenting data on depression and/or anxiety in adult SLE patients and having a sample size of at least 60 patients were included. A random-effect meta-analysis was conducted on all eligible data.

RESULTS

A total of 59 identified studies matched the inclusion criteria, reporting on a total of 10828 adult SLE patients. Thirty five and thirteen methods of defining depression and anxiety were reported, respectively. Meta-analyses revealed that the prevalence of major depression and anxiety were 24% (95% CI, 16%-31%, I² = 95.2%) and 37% (95% CI, 12%-63%, I² = 98.3%) according to clinical interviews. Prevalence estimates of depression were 30% (95% CI, 22%-38%, I² = 91.6%) for the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale with thresholds of 8 and 39% (95% CI, 29%-49%, I² = 88.2%) for the 21-Item Beck Depression Inventory with thresholds of 14, respectively. The main influence on depression prevalence was the publication years of the studies. In addition, the corresponding pooled prevalence was 40% (95% CI, 30%-49%, I² = 93.0%) for anxiety according to the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale with a cutoff of 8 or more.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of depression and anxiety was high in adult SLE patients. It indicated that rheumatologists should screen for depression and anxiety in their patients, and referred them to mental health providers in order to identify effective strategies for preventing and treating depression and anxiety among adult SLE patients.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Current Meta-analysis PROSPERO Registration Number: CRD 42016044125 . Registered 4 August 2016.

Autoantibodies to NR2A Peptide of the Glutamate/NMDA Receptor in Patients with Seizure Disorders in Neuropsychiatric Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Objective. Seizure disorders are one of the most disabling, life-threatening, and the least understood syndromes associated with neuropsychiatric SLE (NPSLE). N-Methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors are a subgroup of the glutamate receptor family, whose NR2A subunit was found on neuronal cells (anti-NR2A) in NPSLE patients with different types of epilepsy. The present study was conducted to determine the serum levels of anti-NR2A antibodies in a large group of SLE patients, to investigate the possible correlation between the presence of the NR2A specific antibodies and NPSLE-related seizure disorders. Methods and Results. The study population consisted of 107 SLE patients and 43 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. 73 SLE patients had active disease. 36 of these had NPSLE. NMDA levels were measured by ELISA. Clinical and serological parameters were assessed according to routine procedures. The levels of anti-NR2A antibodies were significantly higher in NPSLE patients, compared with non-NPSLE patients and healthy controls. Furthermore, the levels of NPSLE in patients with seizure disorders were shown to be higher than in those with cognitive dysfunction and other CNS symptoms, however, without significance. Increase in serum anti-NR2A antibodies levels correlated to anti-dsDNA antibody and SLEDAI as well as complement levels. Conclusion. We suggest that anti-NR2A antibodies play a role in the pathogenesis of NPSLE with seizure disorders.

Clinical utility of circulating anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor subunits NR2A/B antibody for the diagnosis of neuropsychiatric syndromes in systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjögren's syndrome: An updated meta-analysis

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

Neuropsychiatric (NP) events are found in patients with rheumatic diseases, commonly in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and Sjögren's syndrome (SS). The standard nomenclature and case definitions for 19 NPSLE syndromes by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Committee on Research cover a wide range of NP events seen in both SLE and SS. Despite advances in the understanding of SLE and SS, NP syndromes continue to pose diagnostic challenges. Correct attribution of NP events is critical in determining the correct treatment and prognosis. Anti-N-methyl-_d-aspartate receptor subunits NR2A/B (anti-NR2A/B) antibodies have been demonstrated in the sera of SLE and SS patients and have been associated with collective or specific NP syndromes, though not consistently. Interpretation of anti-NR2A/B antibody data in the medical literature is rendered difficult by small sample size of patient groups. By combining different studies to generate a pooled effect size, a meta-analysis can increase the power to detect differences in the presence or absence of NP syndromes. Hence, we set out to perform a meta-analysis to assess the association between anti-NR2A/B antibodies and NP syndromes in SLE and SS.

METHODS

A literature search was conducted using PubMed and other databases from inception to June 2016. We abstracted data relating to anti-NR2A/B antibodies from the identified studies. The random effects model was used to calculate overall combined odds ratio (OD) with its corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) to evaluate the relationship between anti-NR2A/B antibodies and NP syndromes in SLE and SS patients with and without NP events. We also included our own cohort of 57 SLE patients fulfilling the ACR 1997 revised classification criteria and 58 healthy controls (HCs).

RESULTS

In total, 17 studies with data on anti-NR2A/B antibodies in 2212 SLE patients, 66 SS patients, 99 disease controls (DCs) (e.g. antiphospholipid syndrome, myasthenia gravis and autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome I) and 538 HCs were used in this analysis. Overall pooled prevalence of serum/plasma anti-NR2A/B antibodies was higher in SLE patients [24.6% (95% CI 18.5-32.0%)] and SS patients [19.7% (95% CI 11.8-31.0%)] compared to DCs [14.8% (95% CI 2.2-56.9)] and HCs [7.6% (95% CI 4.6-12.4%)] (p=0.001). There was a significantly greater proportion of SLE and SS patients with NP syndromes who demonstrated positivity for serum/plasma anti-NR2A/B antibody [pooled OR=1.607 (95% CI 1.041-2.479), p=0.032] as compared to SLE and SS patients without NP syndromes in 13 studies. Usable data for cerebrospinal fluid anti-NR2A/B antibodies were available in only 4 studies [pooled OR=0.831 (95% CI 0.365-1.888), p=0.658]. Among the 19 NP syndromes, serum/plasma anti-NR2A/B antibodies were not specifically associated with any NP syndrome, including cognitive dysfunction (p=0.259) and mood disorder (p=0.503). Meta-regression identified proportion of anti-double-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid antibody positivity (p=0.009) and SLE Disease Activity Index (p=0.028) as moderators for the heterogeneity of serum/plasma anti-NR2A/B antibodies.

CONCLUSION

Circulating anti-NR2A/B antibody testing has a diagnostic value for NP syndromes in SLE and SS collectively. However, the evidence to date suggests that anti-NR2A/B antibody positivity cannot distinguish specific NP syndromes.

Management of Neuropsychiatric Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Current Approaches and Future Perspectives

Neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) is a generic definition referring to a series of neurological and psychiatric symptoms directly related to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). NPSLE includes heterogeneous and rare neuropsychiatric (NP) manifestations involving both the central and peripheral nervous system. Due to the lack of a gold standard, the attribution of NP symptoms to SLE represents a clinical challenge that obligates the strict exclusion of any other potential cause. In the acute setting, management of these patients does not differ from other non-SLE subjects presenting with the same NP manifestation. Afterwards, an individualized therapeutic strategy, depending on the presenting manifestation and severity of symptoms, must be started. Clinical trials in NPSLE are scarce and most of the data are extracted from case series and case reports. High-dose glucocorticoids and intravenous cyclophosphamide remain the cornerstone for patients with severe symptoms that are thought to reflect inflammation or an underlying autoimmune process. Rituximab, intravenous immunoglobulins, or plasmapheresis may be used if response is not achieved. When patients present with mild to moderate NP manifestations, or when maintenance therapy is warranted, azathioprine and mycophenolate may be considered. When symptoms are thought to reflect a thrombotic underlying process, anticoagulation and antiplatelet agents are the mainstay of therapy, especially if antiphospholipid antibodies or antiphospholipid syndrome are present. Recent trials on SLE using new biologicals, based on newly understood SLE mechanisms, have shown promising results. Based on what we currently know about its pathogenesis, it is tempting to speculate how these new therapies may affect the management of NPSLE patients. This article provides a comprehensive and critical review of the literature on the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of NPSLE. We describe the most common pharmacological treatments used in NPSLE, based on both a literature search and our expert opinion. The extent to which new drugs in the advanced development of SLE, or the blockade of new targets, may impact future treatment of NPSLE will also be discussed.

Management of Neuropsychiatric Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Current Approaches and Future Perspectives

Neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) is a generic definition referring to a series of neurological and psychiatric symptoms directly related to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). NPSLE includes heterogeneous and rare neuropsychiatric (NP) manifestations involving both the central and peripheral nervous system. Due to the lack of a gold standard, the attribution of NP symptoms to SLE represents a clinical challenge that obligates the strict exclusion of any other potential cause. In the acute setting, management of these patients does not differ from other non-SLE subjects presenting with the same NP manifestation. Afterwards, an individualized therapeutic strategy, depending on the presenting manifestation and severity of symptoms, must be started. Clinical trials in NPSLE are scarce and most of the data are extracted from case series and case reports. High-dose glucocorticoids and intravenous cyclophosphamide remain the cornerstone for patients with severe symptoms that are thought to reflect inflammation or an underlying autoimmune process. Rituximab, intravenous immunoglobulins, or plasmapheresis may be used if response is not achieved. When patients present with mild to moderate NP manifestations, or when maintenance therapy is warranted, azathioprine and mycophenolate may be considered. When symptoms are thought to reflect a thrombotic underlying process, anticoagulation and antiplatelet agents are the mainstay of therapy, especially if antiphospholipid antibodies or antiphospholipid syndrome are present. Recent trials on SLE using new biologicals, based on newly understood SLE mechanisms, have shown promising results. Based on what we currently know about its pathogenesis, it is tempting to speculate how these new therapies may affect the management of NPSLE patients. This article provides a comprehensive and critical review of the literature on the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of NPSLE. We describe the most common pharmacological treatments used in NPSLE, based on both a literature search and our expert opinion. The extent to which new drugs in the advanced development of SLE, or the blockade of new targets, may impact future treatment of NPSLE will also be discussed.

Neuropsychiatric Lupus: Classification Criteria in Neuroimaging Studies

This systematic review described the criteria and main evaluations methods procedures used to classify neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) patients. Also, within the evaluations methods, this review aimed to identify the main contributions of neuropsychological measurements in neuroimaging studies. A search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE and SCOPUS databases with the terms related to neuropsychiatric syndromes, systemic lupus erythematosus, and neuroimaging techniques. Sixty-six abstracts were found; only 20 were completely analyzed and included. Results indicated that the 1999 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria is the most used to classify NPSLE samples together with laboratorial, cognitive, neurological and psychiatric assessment procedures. However, the recommended ACR assessment procedures to classify NPSLE patients are being used incompletely, especially the neuropsychological batteries. Neuropsychological instruments and neuroimaging techniques have been used mostly to characterize NPSLE samples, instead of contributing to their classifications. The most described syndromes in neuroimaging studies have been seizure/cerebrovascular disease followed by cognitive dysfunctions as well as headache disorder.

Medical conditions with neuropsychiatric manifestations

Medical disease sometimes affects patients through neuropsychiatric manifestations. When neuropsychiatric symptoms are predominant, identifying medical disease early in the illness course is imperative because many of these conditions are reversible with appropriate treatment. A high index of suspicion is required on the part of clinicians, particularly when patients also present with physical signs or unexplained symptoms that might suggest a broader, systemic process. The processes that most commonly cause neuropsychiatric symptoms include infectious, autoimmune, endocrinologic, metabolic, and neoplastic diseases. This article focuses on the most common of these conditions, and conditions for which early diagnosis and treatment are particularly important.

The association among antioxidant enzymes, autoantibodies, and disease severity score in systemic lupus erythematosus: comparison of neuropsychiatric and nonneuropsychiatric groups

Background. Antioxidative capacity plays an important role in the severity of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), which is characterized by autoantibodies. This study aimed to determine the relationship among autoantibody titers, antioxidative stress reserve, and severity of SLE. Methods. The autoantibody titers, clinical markers, antioxidant enzyme levels, and disease activity index (SLEDAI-2k) of 32 SLE patients and 16 healthy controls were compared. We also compared both the neuropsychiatric (NPSLE) and nonneuropsychiatric (non-NPSLE) groups. Results. Superoxide dismutase in red blood cells was significantly lower in the SLE than in the control group. CRP levels are significant higher in SLE patients than in control group (P = 0.034). Among the autoantibodies, anti-U1RNP (P = 0.008), a-Sm (P = 0.027), and anti-ribosomal p (P = 0.028) significantly negatively correlated with glutathione levels. There has no significant correlation between SLE disease activity indexes (SLEDAI) and levels of C3, C4, and antioxidant enzymes. Conclusions. Erythrocyte superoxide dismutase is significantly lower in both NPSLE and non-NPSLE groups. SLE patients have both higher CRP and autoantibodies level and decreased superoxide dismutase level than the healthy control group.

Markers of acute neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus: a multidisciplinary evaluation

This study was aimed to assess: (1) the additive diagnostic utility of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) over conventional MRI in detecting brain lesions in patients with acute primary neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE), and (2) the relevance of their findings to the associated NP manifestations. Included were 34 patients with acute NPSLE with mean age of 33.26 ± 10.14 years and duration of illness of 3.33 ± 1.71 years. Clinical interviewing and psychiatric and cognitive evaluations were performed by applying the criteria of the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental health disorders criteria (DSM-IV), Stanford Binet Subset Testing, Mini-Mental State Examination and Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised. Serologic tests included looking for antinuclear antibodies, anti-double strand DNA, anti-phospholipid antibodies. Radiologic evaluation included conventional MRI, DWI and MRA. One or more NP manifestations were diagnosed in 28 patients, in which cognitive deficits were reported with headache, psychosis and CVS. Anti-phospholipid antibodies were reported in patients with CVS. Twenty patients (71.43 %) with primary NPSLE (n = 28) had MRI abnormalities in which hyperintense signals at subcortical and periventricular white matter and at the junction between the gray and white matter represented 75 % (n = 15) and with headache (n = 6), psychosis (n = 6) and acute confusional state (n = 3) with and without cognitive deficits, respectively. Moderate-sized infarctions with restricted diffusion in the distribution of middle cerebral arteries were represented in 35 % (n = 7) and with CVS, of them, 71.43 % (n = 5) had beading and focal narrowing of carotid arteries were consistent with vasculitis. Brain atrophy represented 20 % (n = 4) and with psychosis. Compared to those with normal MRI, patients with MRI abnormalities were older (P < 0.050) and had longer duration of illness (P < 0.050). To conclude, although DWI and MRA are helping in more precise etiopathologic diagnosis compared to conventional MRI, but their relevance to the present NP manifestations is still limited.