TY - JOUR
T1 - Microembolic signals in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
AU - Azarpazhooh, Mahmoud Reza
AU - Mokhber, Naghmeh
AU - Orouji, Elias
AU - Chambers, Brian R.
AU - Hatef, Mohammad Reza
AU - Rezaieyazdi, Zahra
AU - Sedighi, Sima
AU - Foroghipoor, Mohsen
AU - Velayati, Arash
AU - Gharavi, Morteza Modares
PY - 2010/5/1
Y1 - 2010/5/1
N2 - Introduction: Central nervous system (CNS) involvement is a common and less understood aspect of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Microembolic signals (MES) have been reported in SLE. We conducted a prospective study to evaluate the frequency of MES among patients with CNS involvement and those without. The main aim of the study is to clarify the pathophysiology of the CNS involvement in SLE. Methods and Materials: Sixty eight patients with a diagnosis of SLE (60 females, 8 males) participated in the study. Both middle cerebral arteries were monitored using transcranial Doppler for 60 min to detect MES. All cases underwent neurology and psychiatry assessments. Results: MES were detected in 7/68 patients (10.3%) with the mean number of 3.5 per hour. MES were significantly higher in patients with CNS involvement (6/24, 25%) than those without (1/44, 2.2%) (P=0.006). SLE disease activity index, duration of disease, plaque formation, intima-media thickness, and antiphospholipid antibodies were not associated with MES. MES were more frequent in patients receiving Aspirin and/or Warfarin (p=0.02). Conclusions: MES may be a predictor for CNS involvement in SLE patients at risk for neuropsychiatric syndromes. Cerebral embolism may be implicated in the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric SLE.
AB - Introduction: Central nervous system (CNS) involvement is a common and less understood aspect of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Microembolic signals (MES) have been reported in SLE. We conducted a prospective study to evaluate the frequency of MES among patients with CNS involvement and those without. The main aim of the study is to clarify the pathophysiology of the CNS involvement in SLE. Methods and Materials: Sixty eight patients with a diagnosis of SLE (60 females, 8 males) participated in the study. Both middle cerebral arteries were monitored using transcranial Doppler for 60 min to detect MES. All cases underwent neurology and psychiatry assessments. Results: MES were detected in 7/68 patients (10.3%) with the mean number of 3.5 per hour. MES were significantly higher in patients with CNS involvement (6/24, 25%) than those without (1/44, 2.2%) (P=0.006). SLE disease activity index, duration of disease, plaque formation, intima-media thickness, and antiphospholipid antibodies were not associated with MES. MES were more frequent in patients receiving Aspirin and/or Warfarin (p=0.02). Conclusions: MES may be a predictor for CNS involvement in SLE patients at risk for neuropsychiatric syndromes. Cerebral embolism may be implicated in the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric SLE.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77950661648&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=77950661648&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1017/S0317167100010271
DO - 10.1017/S0317167100010271
M3 - Article
C2 - 20481272
AN - SCOPUS:77950661648
SN - 0317-1671
VL - 37
SP - 371
EP - 375
JO - Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences
JF - Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences
IS - 3
ER -