Disseminated Lupus Erythematosus With Involvement of the Spinal Cord

A review of the literature on involvement of the central nervous system in disseminated lupus erythematosus revealed no case of focal involvement of the spinal cord in addition to the other protean manifestations. Since Hebra and Kaposi and Bowen described mental changes associated with this disease, Daly and Sedgwick and Von Hagen have more completely summarized the clinical and pathological findings. They reported toxic delirium and coma in association with the anatomic alterations of diffuse nonspecific encephalitis, as well as vascular changes and thrombosis producing myelomalacia of the nervous parenchyma secondary to disturbances in the vascular supply. The following case is reported because of the unusual finding of vascular changes with thrombosis of the meningeal vessels resulting inischemic necrosis of the lumbar cord. REPORT OF A CASE A 19-year-old white girl who had disseminated lupus erythematosus was admitted to the University Hospitals for the sixth time on May 3, 1952.