title: [Clinical analysis of 6 cases of systemic lupus erythematosus complicated by transverse myelitis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To summarize the clinical features and therapeutic approach of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) complicated by transverse myelitis (TM).
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical characteristics, laboratory examinations, treatment and prognosis of 6 SLE cases with TM were retrospectively analyzed with review of the literatures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 6 patients consisted of 5 females and 1 male aged 14 to 36 years (mean 23 years). The mean duration from symptom onset of SLE to TM was 8 months (1 to 13 months). All the patients had lower limb hypodynamia, and 3 of them developed upper limb hypodynamia. MRI scanning of the spine identified lesions in the cervical spinal cord in 2 cases, thoracic lesions in 3 cases, and multiple involvement of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar cord in 1 case. Examination of the cerebrospinal fluid yielded no specific findings except for leukocytosis in 1 case and hypoglycemia in another. Five cases were treated with high-dose MP+CTX, and the other case was treated with MP (80 mg/day)+CTX. Five patients responded favorably to the treatment, while the other showed no obvious improvement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TM is a rare complication of SLE affecting mostly young patients and occurring in the early stage of the disease. Early diagnosis and aggressive treatment might improve the prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Fifth Department of Internal Medicine, Huiyang People's Hospital, Huizhou 516211, China. tanlifu0@163.com
authors.forename: Li-fu
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Liu-qin
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Zhong-ping
authors.initials: ZP
authors.lastname: Zhan
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lian
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009188:Myelitis, Transverse / Q000150:complications*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult