Acute lumbosacral polyradiculoneuropathy heralding transformation to systemic lupus erythematosus in a patient with discoid lupus

Abstract

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystemic autoimmune disease with which a variety of neuropathic disorders have been associated. Among these, the acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy variant of Guillain-Barre syndrome has been well established. However, acute axonal lumbosacral polyradiculoneuropathy accompanied by albuminocytological dissociation in the cerebrospinal fluid has been extremely rarely reported in SLE. We report on a 47-year-old woman with discoid lupus presenting with acute onset of flaccid paraplegia. Extensive investigations suggested the diagnoses of axonal lumbosacral polyradiculoneuropathy and SLE. Treatment with intravenous methylprednisolone and cyclophosphamide resulted in clinical recovery. Development of immune-mediated polyneuropathy in a patient with discoid lupus should forewarn the clinician regarding transformation into the systemic form of the disease. Lupus (2011) 20, 972-974.