Bringing Attention to the Cognitive Impacts of SLE, With Carla Marie Cuda, PhD

A new study has elucidated the link between systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) disease activity and cognitive impairment.

These findings were presented at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Convergence 2025, held October 24–29 in Chicago, Illinois, by Carla Marie Cuda, PhD, Solovy/Arthritis Research Society Research Professor of Medicine (Rheumatology) at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine.

The study included 22 female patients with SLE with a mean age of 33.8 years (standard deviation [SD], 11.8) and disease duration of 8.9 years (SD, 6.0) who were free of concurrent autoimmune or neurologic disease. Cuda and colleagues found that participants with moderate-high disease activity as assessed on Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) scored lower on the Dimensional Change Card Sort and Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Tests in the National Institutes of Health Toolbox for Assessment of Neurological and Behavioral Function (NIHT) for executive function and delayed auditory-verbal memory, respectively, compared to those with inactive or low-moderate disease activity.

The investigators also found that low circulating complement C4 correlated with worse delayed auditory-verbal memory and the clinically validated Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) did not reveal any differences between groups in the study.

HCPLive spoke with Cuda to learn more about the study and cognitive impairment in people with SLE. She stressed the impact of cognitive impairment, even when mild, in people with SLE, although it is often overlooked in trials and clinic settings. She also shared further research she would like to do with cognitive impairment and SLE.

"I think, unfortunately, what's required is more patient facing time, so that these other aspects can be addressed, and also being able to implement some type of screening form or testing strategies that don't take up too much time from the patient or the clinician," Cuda said.

Cuda reported no disclosures.

Reference

Beiser S, Qureshi A, Safdar K, et al. Disease Activity Independently Correlates with Cognitive Impairment in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Presented at: ACR Convergence 2025; October 24-29; Chicago, Illinois. Abstract #2430