The concentration of soluble vascular cell adhesion molecules (sVCAM-1) of serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was measured in clinically selected multiple sclerosis (MS) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, using an ELISA assay. The mean sVCAM-1 concentration in the serum of SLE patients was higher than normal. The mean CSF sVCAM-1 concentration was increased in the MS as in the SLE group. On analysis, the data suggests that there are some similarities in the immunological effects of these two different diseases of the central nervous system. A longitudinal analysis of the CSF is requested.