Mycophenolate mofetil in neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus

Neuropsychiatric abnormalities frequently occur in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, affecting as many as 14-75% of people with this disease. High-dose steroid with or without anticoagulation is the mainstay of treatment in neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE). Use of mycophenolate as a steroid sparing drug may be a potential alternative agent in the therapy of NPLE, but lack of randomized trials and cost prohibit its widespread use. Its safety profile is higher than that of cyclophosphamide and azathioprine. We report a successfully treated case of neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus, presenting as psychosis, whose long-term remission was maintained on treatment with mycophenolate mofetil.

Keywords
CNS vasculitis; cyclophosphamide; mycophenolate mofetil; systemic lupus erythematosus