Gastrointestinal and neurological manifestations in systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease with unknown etiology and incompletely elucidated pathogenesis. It implies the loss of tolerance to the inner self, which leads to perturbations in the immune system, with production of autoantibodies. SLE is characterized by multisystem involvement, the evolution of these patients being directly influenced by the severity of organ complications. The most common pattern seen in patients with SLE is a combination of musculoskeletal, skin, renal, central nervous system, cardiovascular, hematologic and gastrointestinal manifestations. The gastrointestinal symptoms are commonly seen in patients with SLE, the main pathological mechanisms involved being mesenteric vasculitis, intestinal pseudo-obstruction and protein losing enteropathy. Neurological manifestations are also frequent among these patients and they correlate with a high rate of morbidity and mortality. This review aims to analyze the correlation between gastrointestinal and neurological manifestations in SLE and their impact on the quality of life.

Keywords

• systemic lupus erythematosus
• autoantibodies
• gastrointestinal manifestations
• neurological manifestations