Appenzeller S, Cendes F, Costallat LT. Arthritis Rheum 2009;61:680–7.
Neuropsychiatric manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are a significant challenge for patients because of the potential for brain inflammation to lead to permanent damage. The presence of central nervous system manifestations rarely leads to overt dementia, and they are not associated with an increased mortality rate; however, this prospective study in >100 patients shows that cognitive dysfunction is clearly associated with unemployment. The study emphasizes the need for the development of rehabilitation programs in SLE in order to avoid loss of paid work due to cognitive impairment.
In this investigation, the relationship between cognitive impairment and employment was studied prospectively in 167 consecutive patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) seen at the University of Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.