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Treatment of acute neuropsychiatric lupus with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG): a case report and review of the literature

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Abstract

Neuropsychiatric lupus can be difficult to diagnose, and little prospective data exists to help direct management. In this case report we describe the acute onset of symptoms of depression, mania, and psychosis and their complete resolution 48 h following a 5-day treatment course of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in a 20-year-old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We review the literature on IVIG for the management of neuropsychiatric lupus. We propose that when more toxic therapies are refused or symptoms do not remit with other treatments, IVIG should be considered in patients with neuropsychiatric lupus.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, 3400 Civic Center Blvd., CHOP North Room 1479, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA

    Aaron M. Milstone, Kevin Meyers & Josephine Elia

  2. Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Kevin Meyers

  3. Department of Psychiatry, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Josephine Elia

  4. Division of Pediatric Infectious Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Aaron M. Milstone

Authors
  1. Aaron M. Milstone
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  2. Kevin Meyers
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  3. Josephine Elia
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Correspondence to Josephine Elia.

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Milstone, A.M., Meyers, K. & Elia, J. Treatment of acute neuropsychiatric lupus with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG): a case report and review of the literature. Clin Rheumatol 24, 394–397 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-004-1046-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-004-1046-9

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