It must be clear that these sequelae do not occur in all cases of lupus.
Lupus manifestation on the face of a patient. Photo: Shutterstock.
The lupus is an immune system disorder that affects the joints, skin, kidneys, blood, and other parts of the body, because the immune system produces antibodies that attack its own tissues.
The lupus It is a very poorly understood condition, since it affects a considerable number of organs, which is why it tends to be confused with malignancy, cancer and other pathologies, since it manifests itself in the skin, in the joints of the joints, the connective tissue, among others, as indicated by Dr. Oscar Soto Raíces, rheumatologist and president of the FER Foundation.
Who added that the diagnosis is usually quite complex, since it does not always present itself in the same way in all patients.
“A patient can have inflammation around the heart, inflammation around the lung or inflammation in the kidney. In addition, they can have muscle problems, so the variety of symptoms is quite non-specific and occurs in different types of people,” explained the expert. .
On the other hand, in the cited article of the Journal of Arthritis and Rheumatologypoints out that over the years, various investigations have been carried out that have proven that the lupus presents neurological sequelae which significantly reduce the quality of life of patients. However, it must be clear that these sequelae do not occur in all cases of lupus.
Here are the five most important neurological sequelae of lupus:
Multiple sclerosis
The proper term in these patients is lupoid sclerosis. Characteristic antibodies can react once morest myelin, an insulating layer that surrounds a large number of nerves and that allows the proper transmission of nerve impulses.
This sequel can cause manifestations in a large number of organs and systems, since all tissues are influenced by the nervous system. These include sensory or gait disturbances, as well as more specific symptoms such as visual disturbances.
Headache
This sequela or neurological manifestation can occur in any location, and there are various theories that explain its origin. The most supported is cerebral venous thrombosis, which refers to the obstruction of some venous territory as a result of hematological alterations in these patients.
Antiphospholipid syndrome is a condition that contributes to these obstructions. This is characterized by an inflammatory response once morest molecules called phospholipids, which are very abundant in cell membranes.
In this situation, the antibodies cause inflammatory chain reactions in the wall of the blood vessels, causing the accumulation of these molecules and producing, following a long time, obstruction of the vascular flow.
In other cases, the headache is mediated by mass lesions within the brain tissue. Among them, primary lymphoma of the central nervous system and tuberculosis meningitis.
seizures
It is not known exactly whether seizures in patients with lupus they are related to the direct involvement of the nervous tissue or is the result of the general proinflammatory state that characterizes this disease.
In these cases, generalized tonic-clonic seizures are the most striking. These are characterized by a phase of very evident body rigidity, followed by the phase of abrupt and uncontrolled muscle movements. By definition, patients lose postural control and consciousness.
Depression and anxiety
Neuropsychiatric disorders in patients with chronic illnesses are common and generally managed in a multidisciplinary manner. Advanced age, low socioeconomic status, and a positive family history are risk factors for developing these conditions.
cerebrovascular accident
The mechanism that can cause stroke in these patients is the same as that mentioned above for headaches: cerebral venous thrombosis.
If the obstruction lasts long enough, the lack of blood supply to a certain area of the brain can cause cell death, and with it a series of neurological manifestations that will depend on the affected area.
