Prevalence of cognitive impairment in juvenil systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by multiple autoantibody production. The central nervous system involvement occurs in up to 20-45% of patients, associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Approximately 25% of SLE patients have disease onset during childhood (JSLE), where as 8-15% of patients have the first symptoms before the age of 16. JSLE is considered to be more severe, and outcome is directly related to the age of disease onset. The prevalence of neuropsychiatry manifestations (NPM) in JSLE ranges from 10 to 30% and includes psychological and cognitive disorders. The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of cognitive impairment in JSLE. We propose a transversal study selecting patients followed in the Reumatology and Pediatrics Reumatology Units of the Hospital affiliated to UNICAMP and a control group of healthy sex and age matched volunteers. The patients will be submitted to a clinical and laboratorial analysis, in order to determine disease activity, complete neurological examination and neuropsychological assessment. The following psychometric and psychological tests will be applied: Mini Mental, Edimburgh Lateral Dominance Inventory, WISC-III, subtests: vocabulary, block design, digit span, coding, picture completion, comprehension and picture arrangement, Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure, Boston Naming Test, FAS Phonemic Verbal Fluency, Trail Making Test, Stroop Test, Children's Depression Inventory, Child Stress Scale, Anxiety Evaluation Scale e SF-36. The prevalence will be analyzed with parametric tests and the non-numeric variables with non-parametric tests, according to the variable characteristics.