Cognitive impairment in lupus erythematosus: a case report

Lupus erythematosus is a systemic autoimmune disease with unknown etiology that mainly affects women aged 20-50 years and it can have very different clinical manifestations. Cognitive deficit is one of the most prevalent neuropsychiatric syndromes in lupus erythematosus, but a specific profile was never described for it. There are difficulties in the assessment process due to the variability of clinical symptoms and tools limitations. Neuroi-maging and neuropsychological examination are recommended to assess cognitive impairment. The evolution and treatment (pharmacological and cognitive rehabilitation) are influenced by etiology.Case: Woman (54 years) diagnosed with lupus erythematosus who was sent to a neuropsychological study due to her concentration and short-term memory problems. She showed alteration in neuroimaging studies, but she maintains personal autonomy.Conclusion: screening tests of cognitive impairment present reliability controversial for people with lupus erythematosus. An extensive neuropsychological assessment is necessary, including cognitive performance and functionality. Cognitive Impairment are varied, and the course and treatment depend on the etiology (primary vs. secondary).