Eye movement abnormalities in systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVE: To describe eye movement abnormalities in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

DESIGN: Between January 1, 1970, and June 30, 1995, 113 patients with a clinical diagnosis of SLE were examined. Of these, 33 had ocular motor abnormalities and a diagnosis of SLE as defined by the revised criteria of the American College of Rheumatology.

SETTING: Patients hospitalized on the wards of the Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Medical Center, Los Angeles.

SUBJECTS: Thirty-three patients, 82% women, ranging in age from 19 to 58 years (mean, 33.5 years). The average duration of SLE was 3.5 years, and 10 patients had been symptomatic for 5 years or longer.

RESULTS: Of 55 ocular motor signs, 33 involved limitation of eye movements or abnormal eye position at rest; abnormal spontaneous eye movements occurred 12 times; ptosis was seen in eight patients and psychogenic signs in two. Sixteen patients (48%) had brain-stem infarcts; 11 had other known causes, including three with meningitis, two with hysteria, and one each with ocular myositis, pseudotumor cerebri, both ocular myositis and pseudotumor cerebri, Guillain-Barré syndrome, hyperosmolality, and hypoxic encephalopathy. In four patients with isolated sixth nerve palsies and two with isolated ptosis, the cause remained unknown.

CONCLUSIONS: Ocular motor signs in SLE are uncommon and often transitory. When present, they help to ascertain the location, and often the cause, of neurologic involvement.