Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Neurological Involvement in Primary Sjo¨gren’s Syndrome: Clinical and Instrumental Evaluation in a Cohort of Italian Patients

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Clinical Rheumatology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract:

To evaluate nervous system involvement in a cohort of Italian patients with primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS), 87 unselected patients (83 female, and four male) observed consecutively at our institution over a period of 5 years were screened by clinical and instrumental (MRI, SPECT, electrophysiological testing, CSF analysis) investigations for peripheral and central neurological abnormalities. Seroimmunological parameters and extraglandular features other than neurological manifestations were also evaluated. Seven patients had central nervous system (CNS) disease (8%), mostly non-focal dysfunction, and 12 had peripheral nervous system (PNS) disease (13.8%), mostly mild or severe sensory or sensory-motor polyneuropathies. One patient had concomitant CNS and PNS involvement. Compared with CNS disease, PNS involvement occurred in older patients (450 years), independent of the disease duration. Patients with and without neurological abnormalities did not differ for seroimmunological parameters (including antiphospholipid antibodies) or extraglandular manifestations. From a statistical point of view, the only relevant finding was the detection of a slight increase in serum IgA and IgM levels (p50.05) in patients with an intact nervous system. Neurological involvement in pSS, be it central or peripheral, is not a rare finding. A careful clinical neurological evaluation, combined with a multiplicity of instrumental investigations, is recommended in the global assessment of pSS patients.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

Received: 13 August 1998 / Accepted: 10 December 1998

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Govoni, M., Bajocchi, G., Rizzo, N. et al. Neurological Involvement in Primary Sjo¨gren’s Syndrome: Clinical and Instrumental Evaluation in a Cohort of Italian Patients. Clin Rheumatol 18, 299–303 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/s100670050105

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s100670050105

Navigation