Cerebrospinal fluid cytomorphology in systemic lupus erythematosus with Anton's syndrome

Although the neuropathologic findings in patients who have died of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are well documented, the cytomorphologic reactions present in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of living patients with transient neurologic disturbances associated with SLE are poorly understood. Short of brain biopsy, a CSF cytomorphologic examination may provide the best clue to the nature of the cellular inflammatory process in these transient CNS disorders. Cells in the CSF from a patient with SLE who developed transient cortical blindness with denial of visual loss (Anton's syndrome) were subjected to detailed morphologic classification. The findings suggest that tissue destruction and subclinical hemorrhage can be confirmed by careful CSF cytologic examination in patients with these transient neurologic disturbances.