Chorea gravidarum associated with systemic lupus erythematosus and antiphospholipid syndrome: Case report

Abstract

Neuropsychiatric symptoms of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and secondary antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) are very common. In both cases, pathophysiology is correlated to vasculopathy associated to antiphospholipid antibodies as well as neurotoxicity mediated by antibodies and cytokines. Chorea, instead, is the only movement disorder included in the 19 SLE's neuropsychiatric syndromes described by the American College of Rheumatology. Nevertheless, its presence is unusual with a prevalence of about 2%, and could appear as an early manifestation of the disease. The case of a 17-year-old pregnant woman in whom chorea was an early manifestation of SLE and APS.