Case Review: Lupus Patient with Acute Disseminating Encephalomyelitis

Patients often respond favorably to steroids. In addition, doctors should initiate cyclophosphamide for neurologic manifestations of lupus.

Final Thoughts

Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis as a symptom of SLE remains a rare, but unquestionably severe, neuropsychiatric symptom of SLE. Outcomes for ADEM vary widely, mostly depending on its severity. Fortunately, in the case presented here, the team made a diagnosis in a timely manner, and the patient responded well to treatment.

Today, the patient is back to his normal self and ready to restart his job.

Teresa Sosenko, MD, is an internal medicine resident at Trihealth Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio, with an interest in rheumatology.

Anca Emanuela Musetescu, MD, PhD, is a lecturer in rheumatology at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova in Craiova, Romania.

Neha Gandhi, MD, is the associate program director for the Internal Medicine Residency at Trihealth Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati, and a primary care physician.

Scott Friedstrom, MD, is the Internal Medicine Residency Program Director at Trihealth Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati, and an infectious disease specialist.

Diana Girnita, MD, PhD, is a rheumatologist and faculty for internal medicine at Trihealth Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati.

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