Myelitis complicating systemic lupus erythematosus: successfully treated with corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a multisystem autoimmune disease with protean manifestations, occurs with neuropsychiatric manifestations in </=60% of patients. Myelitis is a rare but serious complication of SLE. The diagnosis of myelitis may be difficult, but magnetic resonance imaging is generally very useful in assessing the extension and severity of lupus-related myelitis. We present the case of a 22-year-old woman with SLE since age 18 who presented with bilateral leg paresis of 7 days' duration.