Recognising neuropsychiatric involvement by systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is of growing importance, however many barriers to this exist at multiple levels of our currently available diagnostic algorithms that may ultimately delay its diagnosis and subsequent treatment. The heterogeneous and non-specific clinical syndromes, serological and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) markers and neuroimaging findings that often do not mirror disease activity, highlight important research gaps in the diagnosis of neuropsychiatric SLE (NPSLE). Formal neuropsychological assessments or the more accessible screening metrics may also help improve objective recognition of cognitive or mood disorders. Novel serum and CSF markers, including autoantibodies, cytokines and chemokines have also shown increasing utility as part of diagnosis and monitoring, as well as in distinguishing NPSLE from SLE patients without SLE-related neuropsychiatric manifestations. Novel neuroimaging studies also expand upon our existing strategy by quantifying parameters that indicate microarchitectural integrity or provide an assessment of neuronal function. Some of these novel markers have shown associations with specific neuropsychiatric syndromes, suggesting that future research move away from considering NPSLE as a single entity but rather into its individually recognized neuropsychiatric manifestations. Nevertheless, it is likely that a composite panel of these investigations will be needed to better address the gaps impeding recognition of neuropsychiatric involvement by SLE.

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We present a series of five cases who presented to our institution with treatment‐refractory mucosal ulceration, all of whom were subsequently diagnosed with paraneoplastic pemphigus (PNP). This case series highlights the diagnostic and treatment considerations for PNP – in particular, the steroid‐dependent, recalcitrant, polymorphic manifestations; the combination of histopathological and clinical findings that may overlap with clinically similar diseases, for example, pemphigus vulgaris and lichen planus; the importance of immunopathological findings for its diagnosis, and the need for surveillance and management of life‐threatening bronchiolitis obliterans.