Objective: to assess cognitive function in patients with
SLE and to determine its correlation to demographics, quality of
life, and disease- related variables.
Methods: Twenty patients with systemic lupus
erythematosus (SLE) who fulfilled the revised criteria for
classification of SLE of the American College of Rheumatology
and twenty healthy control subjects apparently free from any
relevant disease were included in this study . All patients were
subjected to full history taking, thorough clinical examination,
assessment of disease activity using SLAM index, and
assessment of quality of life using Beck Questionnaire as well as
detection oflgG anticardiolipin antibodies using ELISA.
Cognitive function tests were performed by Stanford-
Binet IV scale which measure verbal ability, visual/ abstract
ability, short-term memory, and general intelligence quotient
(IQ)-
Results: the mean scores of all cognitive function tests {
verbal ability, visual ability, short term memory and (I.Q.)j in
SLE patients showed a statistically significant decrease
(p<0.05) as compared to controls. Cognitive functions of SLE
patients correlated positively with quality of life, and correlated
negatively with disease activity, antiphospholipid antibodies,
and CNS manifestations cf SLE patients.
Conclusion: Cognitive functions of SLE patients showed
a significant impairment comparedwith normal people. Disease
activity, antiphospholipid antibodies, quality of life and CNS |
