Peripheral neuropathy in patients with primary antiphospholipid (Hughes’) syndrome

The involvement of the peripheral nervous system in diverse autoimmune diseases is well established. However, no appropriately designed studies have been performed in primary antiphospholipid syndrome (PAPS)-related peripheral neuropathy. We aimed to investigate the occurrence of peripheral neuropat...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Lupus 2010-04, Vol.19 (5), p.583-590
Main Authors: Santos, MSF, de Carvalho, JF, Brotto, M., Bonfa, E., Rocha, FAC
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Antibodies
Anticoagulants
Antiphospholipid Syndrome - complications
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Disease
Female
Glycoproteins
Hospitals
Humans
Lupus
Male
Nervous system
Peripheral Nervous System Diseases - etiology
Peripheral neuropathy
Rheumatology
Thrombosis
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The involvement of the peripheral nervous system in diverse autoimmune diseases is well established. However, no appropriately designed studies have been performed in primary antiphospholipid syndrome (PAPS)-related peripheral neuropathy. We aimed to investigate the occurrence of peripheral neuropathy in patients diagnosed with PAPS. Twenty-six consecutive patients with PAPS (Sapporo criteria) and 20 age- and gender-matched healthy controls were enrolled at two referral centers. Exclusion criteria were secondary causes of peripheral neuropathy. A complete clinical neurologic exam followed by nerve conduction studies (NCS) was performed. Paresthesias were reported in eight patients (31%). Objective mild distal weakness and abnormal symmetric deep tendon reflexes were observed in three patients (11.5%). With regard to the electrophysiologic evidence of peripheral neuropathy, nine patients (35.0%) had alterations: four (15.5%) had pure sensory or sensorimotor distal axonal neuropathy (in two of them a carpal tunnel syndrome was also present) and one (4%) had sensorimotor demyelinating and axonal neuropathy involving upper and lower extremities, while four patients (15.5%) showed isolated carpal tunnel syndrome. Clinical and serologic results were similar in all the patients with PAPS, regardless of the presence of electrophysiologic alterations. In conclusion, peripheral neuropathy is a common asymptomatic abnormality in patients with PAPS. The routine performance of NCS may be considered when evaluating such patients.
ISSN:0961-2033
1477-0962
DOI:10.1177/0961203309354541