title: Structural and neurochemical markers of brain injury in the migraine diathesis of systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether migraine in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is associated with accentuated brain injury and disease activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty SLE patients (11 without headache, 11 with non-migraine headache, and 18 with migraine) underwent clinical evaluation, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and spectroscopy (MRS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Recurrent headache occurred in 75% of SLE patients. MRI abnormalities and reduced N-acetylaspartate were common. However, migraine in SLE was not associated with increased disease activity or severity, neuropsychiatric manifestations, or end-organ involvement compared to patients without migraine (p > 0.05). There were no differences in the prevalence or severity of MRI or MRS abnormalities between SLE patients with migraine, with non-migraine headache, or without headache (p > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Headache does not identify SLE patients at risk for brain injury, increased disease activity, or increased end-organ involvement. Aggressive immunosuppressive therapy for headache alone is not indicated in SLE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, USA.
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Rozell
authors.forename: W L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Sibbitt
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Brooks
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004198:Disease Susceptibility / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D001224:Aspartic Acid; C000179:N-acetylaspartate