Active clinical trials for "Lupus Vasculitis, Central Nervous System"

The purpose of the registry and biorepository is to provide a mechanism to store clinical data, linked biospecimens and molecular data to support the conduct of future research on Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), including Lupus Nephritis (LN).

Milatuzumab will be given subcutaneously at different dose levels once (depending on the dose level) for 4 weeks to determine if milatuzumab helps to control lupus (SLE).

The purpose of this study is to determine whether Libman-Sacks endocarditis (inflammation of the heart valves) is the cause of neuropsychiatric manifestations (stroke, transient ischemic attacks, cognitive dysfunction, seizures, acute confusional state, or psychosis) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Hypothesis of the study: Libman-Sacks endocarditis (especially valve vegetations or "small valve growths") generate macro (large) and micro (tiny) emboli that occlude the medium and small cerebral vessels resulting in altered perfusion, ischemic brain injury, and major NPSLE (stroke, TIA, seizures, cognitive dysfunction, acute confusional state, or psychosis).

The purpose of this study is to determine if three functional Magnetic Resonance brain imaging techniques: Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy(MRS),Magnetic Resonance perfusion, and Diffusion Tensor Imaging(DTI) can detect brain alterations distinctive for neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE)and systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE).

The purpose of this study is to find out if certain types of Magnetic Resonance (MR) scanning will help to better detect markers in the brain that are related to the neuropsychiatric symptoms of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). A small percentage of patients who have this type of lupus experience symptoms that may result from a blood clot or change in blood vessel structure in the brain. These neuropsychiatric symptoms can include an inability to think clearly, a change in level of awake and/or awareness, and in the worst cases, seizure and stroke. Another goal of the study is to find out if individuals with fibromyalgia (FM), or chronic pain, have symptom-related markers in any of these scans as well. Better and earlier detection of markers that are related to acute neuropsychiatric lupus (NPSLE) and FM will be helpful to all who are affected by these diseases.

Cognitive impairment occurs in as many as 80% of lupus patients and affective disorders, depression and anxiety, are also common. Both of these problems contribute significantly to disease burden and disability. Associations between serum anti-NMDAR Aab and cognitive and behavioral changes in human SLE have remained controversial, however, elevated titers of these Aabs in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) correlate with severe central nervous system manifestations, such as coma and psychosis. The aim is to study the progression of disease (cognitive and behavioral impairment) over a 2 year period in SLE subjects with neuropsychologic and behavioral testing and correlates of disease progression using resting FDG-PET and serum Anti-NMDAR Aab. The correlations between hippocampal hypermetabolism, Anti-NMDAR Aab and memory impairment observed in the cross-sectional studies will be validated by baseline measurements in the proposed studies.