Structural and neurochemical markers of brain injury in the migraine diathesis of systemic lupus erythematosus

Objective: To determine whether migraine in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is associated with accentuated brain injury and disease activity. Methods: Forty SLE patients (11 without headache, 11 with non-migraine headache, and 18 with migraine) underwent clinical evaluation, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and spectroscopy (MRS). Results: Recurrent headache occurred in 75% of SLE patients. MRI abnormalities and reduced N-acetylaspartate were common. However, migraine in SLE was not associated with increased disease activity or severity, neuropsychiatric manifestations, or end-organ involvement compared to patients without migraine (p>0.05). There were no differences in the prevalence or severity of MRI or MRS abnormalities between SLE patients with migraine, with non-migraine headache, or without headache (p>0.05). Conclusions: Headache does not identify SLE patients at risk for brain injury, increased disease activity, or increased end-organ involvement. Aggressive immunosuppressive therapy for headache alone is not indicated in SLE.