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A case of diffuse lupus encephalopathy successfully treated with high-dose intravenous methylprednisolone

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Abstract

We report a case of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in a young woman who presented a serious encephalopathy with respiratory distress and coma, after arbitrary interruption of oral corticosteroid therapy when her first pregnancy ended in abortion. The patient showed rapid improvement on methylprednisolone pulse therapy. The case suggests the utility of such a therapy in severe, non focal, CNS complications of SLE.

Sommario

Viene descritto il caso di una giovane donna affetta da Lupus eritematoso sistemico (LES) che, dopo l'interruzione spontanea della terapia corticosteroidea orale in occasione della sua prima gravidanza esitata in aborto, presenta una grave encefalopatia con insufficienza respiratoria e coma. La somministrazione di alte dosi di metilprednisolone per via endovenosa (“pulse therapy”) determina una rapida e completa risoluzione della sintomatologia. Questo caso suggerisce l'utilità di questo tipo di trattamento nelle manifestazioni neurologiche acute e gravi in corso di LES.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Istituto di Scienze Neurologiche, I Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università di Napoli, Via Pansini 5, 80131, Napoli

    Iorio G. Di, Santanelli P. & Bonavita V.

  2. Istituto di Clinica Medica, Cattedra di Semeiotica Medica, I Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università di Napoli, Via Pansini 5, 80131, Napoli

    Picillo U. & Migliaresi S.

Authors
  1. Iorio G. Di
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  2. Picillo U.
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  3. Santanelli P.
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  4. Migliaresi S.
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  5. Bonavita V.
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Di Iorio, G., Picillo, U., Santanelli, P. et al. A case of diffuse lupus encephalopathy successfully treated with high-dose intravenous methylprednisolone. Ital J Neuro Sci 13, 247–250 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02224397

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02224397

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