[mindyandy420]

Could somebody with experience please tell me what the difference is between CNS and APS? What are the sx differences. What blood tests need to be done. I do understand that blood tests can be inconclusive.
Who here has either one?
Thanks
Mindy

 

[Katharine]

Hello Mindy,

CNS is lupus that affects the Central Nervous System. I don't know much about it but believe it is determined by symptoms and MRI scans which can show where damage may have occurred. Others who suffer from it will be able to answer you better.

APS is "sticky blood", also called Hughes Syndrome. It is quite frequent in lupus patients and is quite easily detected by blood tests. If one test is positive a second one is done about six weeks later to confirm the diagnosis. One positive is not enough. APS can frequently be controlled either by taking a small daily dose of aspirin (75 - 100mg) or other blood thinnning drugs.
I have APS but it doesn't cause me any problems. I just have to take aspirin every day.

I hope that helps a little,
Katharine

 

[Clare.T]

Hello Mindy

APS is a condition where the blood has a tendency to clot or be 'thicker' than normal. Like lupus it affects people differently. Some APS symptoms that affect the central nervous system may resemble symptoms caused by features of lupus such as vasculitis, or they may result from other conditions that accompany the lupus, such as fibromyalgia or Sjogren's or hyperviscosity syndromes

For ways in which APS might affect people see

http://www.hughes-syndrome.org/snapshot.htm

There is a discussion of CNS Lupus in posts stuck at the top of this forum.
The major neurologic symptoms of lupus are:

Cognitive dysfunction
Headache

Seizure
Altered mental alertness ( eg stupor or coma)

Aseptic meningitis
Stroke

Peripheral neuropathy ( numbness, tingling & burning sensations)
Movement disorders

Paralysis
Altered behaviour

Visual changes
Autonomic neuropathy (eg mottling of skin, flushing )

(From Dr Wallace The Lupus Book 2cnd Edition p 100 )

Dr Wallace sums up " A wide array of possibilities may account for any given symptom and a careful work up is necessary in order to avoid inappropriate therapy. Drugs, infections and non - lupus related disorders first have to be ruled out as a cause of the complaint or manifestation. Blood and spinal fluid tests, brain imaging, electrical studies, and neurocognitive evaluations help the physician to arrive at a diagnosis " ( p 115)

The tests for APS are Lupus anticoagulant and anticardiolipins often with the beta2 glycoprotein test which helps distinguish autoimmune disease from infectious causes such as Lyme or HIV or syphilis. Both these tests should be repeated at at least six weeks intervals.



Clare