Neuropsychiatric involvement in juvenile-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (jSLE)

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

Abstract

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a rare autoimmune/inflammatory disease with significant morbidity and mortality. Approximately 15–20% of SLE patients develop the disease during childhood or adolescence (juvenile-onset SLE/jSLE). Patients with jSLE exhibit more variable and severe disease when compared to patients with disease-onset during adulthood. Neuropsychiatric (NP) involvement is a clinically heterogenous and potentially severe complication. Published reports on the incidence and prevalence of NP-jSLE are scarce, and the exact pathophysiology is poorly understood. This manuscript provides a review of the existing literature, suggesting NP involvement in 13.5–51% of jSLE patients. Among patients with NP-jSLE affecting the CNS, we propose two main subgroups: (i) a chronic progressive, predominantly type 1 interferon-driven form that poorly responds to currently used treatments, and (ii) an acutely aggressive form that usually presents early during the disease that may be primarily mediated by auto-reactive effector lymphocytes. While this hypothesis requires to be tested in large collaborative international cohort studies, it may offer future patient stratification and individualised care.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number5
JournalMolecular and Cellular Pediatrics
Volume10
Issue number1
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2023
Peer-reviewedYes

Keywords

Keywords

  • CNS, Inflammation, Interferon, jSLE, Juvenile, Lupus, Neurologic, Neuropsychiatric, NP-jSLE, SLE, Treatment