[A 47-year-old woman with meningeal signs and consciousness disturbance].

We report a 47-year-old woman with SLE, who developed meningeal signs and consciousness disturbance. She noted an onset of fever, and swelling and pain in her face, hands and feet in 1990. She was seen in another hospital and the diagnosis of SLE was made. She was treated with prednisolone with marked improvement in her symptoms. She was well with 5 mg of oral prednisolone daily until January of 1991, when she developed fever, myalgia and weakness in her legs. She was admitted to the medical service of our hospital on August 5. She was receiving 15 mg of prednisolone daily. Gram positive rods were cultured from her blood on August 5. She became incoherent 2 days later, and had a convulsive episode on August 8. After the convulsion, she lost consciousness from which she did not recover. Her CSF contained 304/3 microliters cells, 29 of which were neutrophils, 6 lymphocytes, 90 others, and 179 destructed cells. The CSF protein content was 345 mg/dl, and glucose 23 mg/dl. A neurological consultation was asked on August 9. Physical examination at that time revealed a semicomatous woman. Respiration was 30/min and regular. BP 132/82 mmHg, heart rate 122/min and regular, and BT 39.6 degrees C. General physical examination was unremarkable. Pertinent neurologic findings were positive Kernig sign and spasticity in all four limbs. Brain stem reflexes were retained. Upon painful stimulation, withdrawal response was elicited both lower extremities. She was treated with pipiracillin, latamoxef and phenobarbital, however, she had frequent seizures. She was deeply comatose on December 10. She became flaccid and no more meningeal signs were observed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)