title: Brain hypoperfusion in a girl with systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: We describe an adolescent girl with systemic lupus erythematosus, presenting with severe cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction and incapacitating orthostatic hypotension to a degree not previously reported. Further evaluation of cerebral blood flow velocity, using transcranial Doppler testing, demonstrated an abnormal hypercapnic cerebrovascular response. Both the orthostatic hypotension and the abnormal cerebrovascular hypercapnic response improved with intensive medical treatment of her systemic lupus erythematosus. Additional studies are necessary to elucidate the pathogenesis of these cerebrovascular and autonomic abnormalities, especially considering the potential consequences they may exert on cerebral perfusion, which may be subtle, underrecognized, and capable of affecting cognition.
authors: Department of Pediatric Neurology, Maimonides Infants' and Children's Hospital, Brooklyn, New York 11219, USA.
authors: Linda J
authors: LJ
authors: Wong
authors: Juan C
authors: JC
authors: Kupferman
authors: Yuri
authors: Y
authors: Brosgol
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Barinstein
authors: Steven G
authors: SG
authors: Pavlakis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007024:Hypotension, Orthostatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*