Centrally Acting ACE Inhibition in SLE

The study is a randomized, double blind, controlled, multi-center clinical trial to test the efficacy of a CA-ACEi, lisinopril, compared to a nonCA-ACEi, benazepril, for CI in SLE as measured by improvement in regional resting brain hypermetabolism and cognitive testing. The study will also investigate the impact of CA-ACEi compared to nonCA-ACEi on microglia cell activation as measured by PBR28 binding, behavioral function, circulating inflammatory cytokines and whole blood gene expression. The target population is SLE subjects between the ages of 18 and 55 that have stable disease activity and have no history of active or prior CNS disease of any kind. If applicable, subjects must be on stable doses of corticosteroids (less than or equal to 10 mg daily of prednisone) and non-increasing doses of other immunosuppressive medications for at least 4 weeks prior to screening.