ACUTE DISSEMINATED ENCEPHALOMYELITIS PREC EDING CUTANEOUS LUPUS

Study design. - A case of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis precedi ng thr features of cutaneous lupus is reported. Objectives. - To sugge st that ADEM and cutaneous lupus are pathophysiologically related. Sum mary of the background data. - Neurological complications of systemic lupus erythematosus are common. However, demyelinative central nervous system manifestations are rare, and restricted ro neuromyelitis optic a (NMO). NMO is thought to be a partial form of ADEM. Methods. - A cli nical, neuroradiogical and immunological study was performed in tills case. Results. - ADEM was diagnosed in a young black female. Three yea rs later, she developed a cutaneous lupus without hypocomplementia. Co nclusion. - A relationship between ADEM and cutaneous lupus is suggest ed. The normal serum complement level in our patient might be a predis posing factor tile development of ADEM. (C) 1998 Elsevier, Paris.