Postpartum Psychosis Masking the Diagnosis of Neuropsychiatric Lupus

Abstract

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic, relapsing, and remitting systemic disease. Autoimmunity and protean clinical manifestations affecting almost all the systems are the hallmarks of SLE. Systemic lupus can affect the central nervous system. The severity of CNS manifestations varies from less severe subclinical neurocognitive dysfunction affecting memory, intellect, and learning to more severe manifestations such as seizure, stroke, or transverse myelitis [1]. The psychotic features of primary psychiatric disorders overlap with Neuropsychiatric SLE (NPSLE) and often mask and delay the diagnosis of NPSLE.