1 Introduction
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease of unknown cause that can affect any organ system. Although SLE in children is fundamentally the same disease as in adults, with similar etiology, pathogenesis, and laboratory findings, there are some differences in frequency and severity of certain clinical manifestations.1
In 1999, the American College of Rheumatology issued a proposal for the nomenclature and definition of Neuropsychiatric SLE(NPSLE). The proposal defined 19 syndromes, including movement disorders.1Although NPSLE is documented in a range of 13.5% to 34.6% of paediatric patients diagnosed with SLE,2,3 chorea is a rare neurologic syndrome associated with SLE, described in 1 to 3 percent of patients with SLE. While the predominant cause of chorea in children is typically the autoimmune variant resulting from post-streptococcal origins, it’s important to note that chorea can also arise as a complication of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE).4
We report a case of acute onset chorea as a form of NPSLE.