Elimination of anticardiolipin antibodies and cessation of cognitive decline in a UV-A1-irradiated systemic lupus erythematosus patient.

In the first patient with high levels of anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) treated with ultraviolet-A1 (UV-A1; 320-400 nm) radiation, eight months of twice-weekly low-dose (10 J/cm(2)) irradiation was accompanied by the decrease of aCL levels to normal, cessation of clinical and positron emission tomographic (PET) scanning evidence of cognitive decline, and reversal of livedo reticularis. All occurred within the framework of an improving Revised Systemic Lupus Activity Measure (SLAM-R) score. Further studies in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with elevated aCL are indicated.