Factors associated with increased white matter hyperintense lesion (WMHI) load in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)

IntroductionWhite matter hyperintense (WMHI) lesions are the most common finding in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).ObjectiveThe objective of this article is to determine the clinical factors associated with an increase in WMHI lesion load among SLE patients.MethodA total of 83 SLE patients with MRI of the brain from National University of Malaysia Medical Centre were included. The WMHI lesion load was determined using the Scheltens score and Fazekas scale, and their distribution was divided into the deep white matter (DWMHI) and periventricular (PVH) regions. The clinical correlates of WMHI lesions were initially determined using univariate analyses and subsequently multivariable regression analyses were performed to determine the independent factors of increased WMHI lesion load.ResultsMRI of the brain of 46 patients who had WMHI lesions were compared with 37 patients with normal MRI. We found significant association between the presence ...