We describe a 36 year-old woman who developed chorea two months after starting the use of oral contraceptives. She also developed thrombocitopenia, oral ulcers, arthritis, positive antinuclear antibodies (ANA), anti-Sm and anti-DNA, filling criteria for sistemic lupus erythematosus, as defined by the American College of Rheumatology. The tests for lupus anticoagulant and anticardiolipin (IgG and IgM) were negative. The patient was treated with prednisone, phenitoin, phenobarbital and clonazepam, obtaining clinical and laboratorial improvement. We discuss the ocurrence of chorea and other movement disorders as first manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus, its relationship with oral contraceptives and antiphospholipid antibodies.
systemic lupus erythematosus; chorea; oral contraceptives; antiphospholipids antibodies