Evaluation of cerebrospinal anticardiolipin antibodies in lupus patients with neuropsychiatric manifestations

To evaluate the role of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) anticardiolipin antibody (aCL) in lupus patients with neuropsychiatric manifestations, paired measurements of aCL, in the serum and CSF, were performed using the ELISA method in lupus patients (n=31) and controls with other medical diseases (n=8). High titers of CSF IgG-aCL were detected in cerebral lupus patients with lupus headache, acute psychosis, cognitive impairment, high cortical dysfunction, and altered consciousness. Intrathecal synthesis, rather than the diffusion of IgG-aCL from serum to compartment of the central nervous system, occurred in these NPLE patients. The binding of aCL to brain components might play a role in the development of neuropsychiatric manifestations in cerebral lupus patients.