Eye movement abnormalities in systemic lupus erythematosus
J. R. Keane
Department of Neurology, Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Medical Center, USA.
OBJECTIVE: To describe eye movement abnormalities in patients with systemic
lupus erythematosus (SLE). DESIGN: Between January 1, 1970, and June 30,
1995, 113 patients with a clinical diagnosis of SLE were examined. Of
these, 33 had ocular motor abnormalities and a diagnosis of SLE as defined
by the revised criteria of the American College of Rheumatology. SETTING:
Patients hospitalized on the wards of the Los Angeles County-University of
Southern California Medical Center, Los Angeles. SUBJECTS: Thirty-three
patients, 82% women, ranging in age from 19 to 58 years (mean, 33.5 years).
The average duration of SLE was 3.5 years, and 10 patients had been
symptomatic for 5 years or longer. RESULTS: Of 55 ocular motor signs, 33
involved limitation of eye movements or abnormal eye position at rest;
abnormal spontaneous eye movements occurred 12 times; ptosis was seen in
eight patients and psychogenic signs in two. Sixteen patients (48%) had
brain-stem infarcts; 11 had other known causes, including three with
meningitis, two with hysteria, and one each with ocular myositis,
pseudotumor cerebri, both ocular myositis and pseudotumor cerebri,
Guillain-Barre syndrome, hyperosmolality, and hypoxic encephalopathy. In
four patients with isolated sixth nerve palsies and two with isolated
ptosis, the cause remained unknown. CONCLUSIONS: Ocular motor signs in SLE
are uncommon and often transitory. When present, they help to ascertain the
location, and often the cause, of neurologic involvement.