Neuropsychiatric damage in Southern Chinese patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

We conducted the current study to determine the prevalence and predictors of neuropsychiatric damage in a cohort of Chinese patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Patients were those newly diagnosed as having SLE between 1990 and 2004 in our unit. Demographic data, presenting and cumulative clinical features, disease activity score at diagnosis, and serial damage scores were obtained. Neuropsychiatric (NP) manifestations were classified according to the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) nomenclature. NP damage was evaluated by the NP domain of the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology (SLICC/ACR) Damage Index. Factors predictive of NP damage were studied by regression models. We studied 282 patients who fulfilled > or =4 of the ACR criteria for SLE. The mean age of SLE onset was 31.8 +/- 14 years. After a mean follow-up of 6.7 years, 65 patients (23%) had at least 1 NP manifestation and 50 (18%) developed NP damage (SLICC/ACR Damage Index > or = 1). Cerebrovascular accident was the most common cause of NP damage (35%), followed by seizure (20%), psychosis (12%), cranial/peripheral neuropathy (12%), cognitive dysfunction (12%), and myelopathy (9%). In a multiple regression model, disease activity at diagnosis, cumulative non-NP damage, presence of antiphospholipid antibodies, and ever use of pulse methylprednisolone were independent factors associated with NP damage. New NP damage after the first year of diagnosis was predicted by longer disease duration and the use of pulse methylprednisolone in another multivariate model. Neither early nor cumulative NP damage predicted mortality. NP damage is prevalent in Chinese patients with SLE and is independently associated with more active disease at diagnosis, antiphospholipid antibodies and the use of pulse methylprednisolone therapy. Primary prevention for cerebrovascular disease in high-risk patients may reduce NP damage.