title: Cerebral large vessel vasculitis in systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: Neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) is defined by involvement of the central nervous system in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), with a wide range of both neurological and psychiatric manifestations. Although its aetiopathogenesis is not fully elucidated, NPSLE seems to be a consequence of cerebral vascular pathology including thromboembolism, small-vessel vasculopathy and, in rare cases, true vasculitis. Cerebral vasculitis is rare, and cerebral large-vessel vasculitis in SLE is even more unusual. We report the case of a female patient with the diagnosis of SLE. She presented with stroke-like symptoms, headache and vertigo, and palpable purpura on her legs. Further investigations revealed that she suffered from both vasculitis of the cerebral large vessels and coexisting cutaneous small-vessel vasculitis.
authors: Department of Dermatology, Innsbruck Medical University, Austria norbert.sepp@i-med.ac.at barbara.boeckle@i-med.ac.at.
authors: B C
authors: BC
authors: Böckle
authors: Barbara Bommer Foundation for Clinical Immunodermatology, Department of Dermatology, Innsbruck Medical University, Austria.
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Jara
authors: Department of Dermatology, Innsbruck Medical University, Austria.
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Aichhorn
authors: Department of Radiology, Innsbruck Medical University, Austria.
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Junker
authors: Clinical Department of Neurology, Innsbruck Medical University, Austria.
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Berger
authors: Department of Dermatology, Innsbruck Medical University, Austria.
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Ratzinger
authors: Department of Dermatology, Innsbruck Medical University, Austria Barbara Bommer Foundation for Clinical Immunodermatology, Department of Dermatology, Innsbruck Medical University, Austria.
authors: N T
authors: NT
authors: Sepp
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002536:Cerebral Arteries; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020945:Lupus Vasculitis, Central Nervous System / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D011693:Purpura / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D017445:Skin Diseases, Vascular / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: Large-vessel vasculitis; neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus NPSLE