MYELOPATHY IN SYSTEMIC LUPUS-ERYTHEMATOSU S ASSOCIATED WITH ANTIPHOSPHOLIPID ANTIBODIES

Central nervous system involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus (SL E) is frequent and severe, however, myelopathy is rarely reported (0.8 p. 100 of SLE cases). We describe two SLE-young women. They were 21 a nd 37 year old, presented with acute paraplegia. CSF study showed pleo cytosis and moderately elevated protein. Antinuclear, anti-DNA and ant icardiolipin were positive. High dose steroids therapy induced marked improvement The pathogenesis of myelopathy in SLE remains unclear. Ant i-phospholipid antibodies may cause thrombosis and ischemic myelopathy . However, auto-antibodies directed against central nervous system con stituents may be involved.