Cerebellar ataxia in a young patient: A rare path to lupus

Abstract

Cerebellar ataxia is a rare manifestation of neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Development of vasculitic infarcts in the cerebellum is the most plausible reason of this manifestation. We report the case of a patient who presented with characteristic skin rashes of lupus along with cerebellar signs. Imaging of brain in this patient revealed prominent cerebellar atrophy. She was treated with mycophenolate mofetil and oral corticosteroid, and there was no further progression of her neurological signs after the initiation of therapy. In the clinical context of varied presentations of neurolupus, this is one of the rare sightings and our treatment protocol holds promise as first-line therapy in future.