LONG-TERM OUTCOMES IN SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. (2) The Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics (ANAM) is a software program that utilizes measures and specifications developed in various branches of the Armed Forces to create a performance battery sensitive to cognitive change[6-10]. Several studies have demonstrated the ability of the ANAM to capture subtle cognitive change associated with mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI)[11, 12]. Performance decrements on the ANAM were observed even in those individuals with MTBI without decrement on traditional neuropsychological tests. Recent findings demonstrate the ANAM's ability to track deterioration and recovery of cognitive functioning following sports-related concussion injury in young adult males[11, 12]. The ANAM has been used for the assessment of cognitive impairment in adult SLE[13]. The pediatric adaptation of the ANAM has been recently developed and initial validation studies have been performed. Whether this battery is useful for pediatric NPSLE will be studied in this protocol. In this study, patient self reports of neuropsychiatric symptoms will be compared with the results of formal neurocognitive testing. In adults, there is a significant association between higher subjective complaint scores and lower cognitive function as determined by formal neurocognitive testing[14]. Similar studies have not yet been done in childhood onset systemic lupus erythematosus and are a focus of the presented research study. A Self Assessment Neuropsychiatric Questionnaire (NSAQ) similar to the one described in the studies above used in adults, was adapted for children and will be used to determine if self reports of cognition are comparable to the current standard of formal neurocognitive testing.