Neuropsychiatric Lupus: A Severe Manifestation of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

The study described a 50-year-old female patient with a 20-year history of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who developed severe neuropsychiatric manifestations, including epileptic convulsions, dysarthria, and delusions. Despite normal brain MRI results, EEG and SPECT scans showed abnormalities. Treatment with pulse methylprednisolone and cyclophosphamide led to disease remission, although the patient experienced muscle weakness and arthritis during stabilization. The study concluded that neuropsychiatric lupus is a severe and complex manifestation of SLE that significantly impacts quality of life and requires aggressive treatment to improve outcomes.