title: The relationship of antiphospholipid antibodies to cognitive function in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the relationship between antiphospholipid antibody positivity (expressed as the lupus anticoagulant) and cognitive dysfunction in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional comparisons of lupus anticoagulant (LA) positive (N = 39) and negative (N = 79) patients and controls (N = 35) on a cognitive test battery; 22 LA-positive and 53 LA-negative patients who had never experienced neuropsychiatric events (never-NP-SLE) were also compared separately.
  
  
  RESULTS
  LA-positive patients were 2 to 3 times more likely than were LA-negative patients to be designated as cognitively impaired. As a group, LA-positive patients, particularly those in the never-NP-SLE group, demonstrated lower performance primarily on tasks of verbal memory, cognitive flexibility, and psychomotor speed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LA positivity is associated with subclinical nervous system compromise, and a pattern of deficits compatible with subcortical involvement, possibly on the basis of ongoing LA-related microthrombotic events or vasculopathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Denburg
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Carbotte
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Ginsberg
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Denburg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid / Q000276:immunology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
chemical_list: D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid