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Chen YT, Lescoat A, Devine A, Khanna D, Murphy SL. Cognitive difficulties in people with systemic sclerosis: a qualitative study. Rheumatology (Oxford) 2022; 61:3754-3765. [PMID: 35015836 PMCID: PMC9259752 DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/keac004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study used a qualitative approach to explore how people with SSc experience cognitive changes and how cognitive difficulties impact their functioning. METHODS Four 90-min focus groups of adults with SSc and self-reported changes in cognition were recruited from a SSc research registry and targeted social media. A focus group guide elicited information from participants via open-ended questions. Content analysis was conducted using grounded theory methodology. RESULTS There were 20 participants (mean age = 55.5 (11.4) years) comprising 16 (80%) females, 14 (70%) Caucasians, and 11 (55%) people with diffuse cutaneous SSc. Study themes included cognitive difficulties as part of daily life experience, impact of cognitive difficulties on daily life functioning, coping strategies and information seeking. Participants used different terms to describe their experience of cognitive difficulties, and most encountered deficits in short-term memory, language difficulties, decreased executive function, difficulties with concentration and focus, and slow processing speed. Participants expressed frustration with their cognitive difficulties and used coping strategies to lessen their impact. Participants were uncertain about the causes and wanted to understand factors contributing to cognitive difficulties as well as how to manage them. CONCLUSION Participants with SSc reported cognitive difficulties that had a substantial negative impact on their lives. Improved understanding of cognitive changes could subsequently facilitate development of relevant therapeutic interventions or educational programmes for symptom self-management to reduce impact of cognitive difficulties in people with SSc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yen T Chen
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
- Division of Rheumatology, Scleroderma Program, Univerisity of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Alain Lescoat
- Division of Rheumatology, Scleroderma Program, Univerisity of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Immunology, Rennes University Hospital
- Université de Rennes, CHU Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail) – UMR_S 1085, Rennes, France
- Division of Rheumatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Anita Devine
- Division of Rheumatology, Scleroderma Program, Univerisity of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Dinesh Khanna
- Division of Rheumatology, Scleroderma Program, Univerisity of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Division of Rheumatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Susan L Murphy
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
- Division of Rheumatology, Scleroderma Program, Univerisity of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Division of Rheumatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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Watad A, Bragazzi NL, Tiosano S, Yavne Y, Comaneshter D, Cohen AD, Amital H. Alzheimer's Disease in Systemic Sclerosis Patients: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study. J Alzheimers Dis 2019; 65:117-124. [PMID: 30040736 DOI: 10.3233/jad-180516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurological features are often overlooked in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients and little is known about the link between dementia and SSc. OBJECTIVES We sought to investigate whether an association exists between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and SSc, as well as assess the impact of a dual diagnosis on mortality rates, by performing an extensive data analysis on a large subject sample. METHODS We utilized the medical database of the Clalit-Health-Services in a case-control study. Patients with SSc were compared with age- and sex-matched controls with regard to the prevalence of AD and its impact on their mortality. RESULTS Our study included 2,431 SSc patients and 12,377 age- and sex-matched controls. The mean age of the study population was 63.32±18.06 years and the female to male ratio was 4.5:1. 134 (5.5%) cases had AD as a co-morbidity in comparison with 749 (5.9%) of the controls. The mortality rate was 12.5% among controls and 26.2% among SSc cases. On the Cox multivariate survival analysis, diagnosis of SSc and AD demonstrated significant HRs (2.35 (95% CI 2.05-2.69, p < 0.0001) and 2.19 (95% CI 1.94-2.48, p < 0.0001), respectively). SSc patients with AD had a relative risk of death of 2.35 (95% CI: 1.44-3.83) in comparison with SSc patients without AD. CONCLUSION AD is a predictor of death in SSc and therefore preemptive screening may be warranted. Further studies are needed to evaluate whether improvements in the medical regimen for SSc may lead to a reduction in AD development and possibly to increased survival as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdulla Watad
- Department of Medicine 'B', Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel.,The Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel.,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel
| | - Nicola L Bragazzi
- Department of Health Sciences (DISSAL), School of Public Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Shmuel Tiosano
- Department of Medicine 'B', Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel.,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel
| | - Yarden Yavne
- Department of Medicine 'B', Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel.,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel
| | - Doron Comaneshter
- Chief Physician's Office, Clalit Health Services Tel Aviv, Faculty of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Arnon D Cohen
- Chief Physician's Office, Clalit Health Services Tel Aviv, Faculty of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.,Siaal Research Center for Family Medicine and Primary Care, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Howard Amital
- Department of Medicine 'B', Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel.,The Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel.,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel
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Neurosonological and cognitive screening for evaluation of systemic sclerosis patients. Clin Rheumatol 2019; 38:1905-1916. [PMID: 30806858 DOI: 10.1007/s10067-019-04468-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2018] [Revised: 02/01/2019] [Accepted: 02/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Assessment of cerebrovascular hemodynamics, third ventricle diameter (as a proxy of brain atrophy) by transcranial sonography (TCS), and screening of cognitive performance by the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients. METHODS A total of 38 SSc patients recruited from the outpatient clinic of the Rheumatology Department, Kasr Alainy Hospital, Cairo University, and 51, age- and sex-matched, healthy controls were included in the study. TCS was used to assess the mean flow velocity (MFV), pulsatility index (PI) of the anterior, middle, and posterior cerebral arteries bilaterally, and to measure the third ventricle diameter as a proxy of brain atrophy. Cognitive impairment was screened using the SDMT. p values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS There was no significant difference between SSc patients and controls regarding either PI or MFV of the anterior, middle, and posterior cerebral arteries; also, there was no difference regarding the third ventricle diameter; however, limited SSc patients showed a significant increase in the PI of PCA and MFV of ACA as compared with diffuse SSc patients (p = 0.005, 0.004). There was a significant difference between SSc patients and controls regarding the SDMT (p = 0.016). CONCLUSION There is an evidence of increased cerebral vascular tone and resistance in limited SSc patients compared with diffuse SSc subgroup, without evidence of cerebral atrophy, suggesting early cerebrovascular affection even in asymptomatic limited SSc patients. There was also an evidence of cognitive impairment in SSc patients.
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Frantellizzi V, Morreale M, Pontico M, Francia A, Drudi FM, Farcomeni A, Liberatore M. 99m Tc-HMPAO brain SPECT in the monitoring of cerebral vasculitis therapy. Rev Esp Med Nucl Imagen Mol 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.remnie.2017.11.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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Frantellizzi V, Morreale M, Pontico M, Francia A, Drudi FM, Farcomeni A, Liberatore M. 99mTc-HMPAO brain SPECT in the monitoring of cerebral vasculitis therapy. Rev Esp Med Nucl Imagen Mol 2018; 37:211-217. [PMID: 29605630 DOI: 10.1016/j.remn.2017.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2017] [Revised: 09/21/2017] [Accepted: 10/02/2017] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The central nervous system (CNS) may be involved in a variety of inflammatory diseases of the blood vessels, generally known as vasculitis. The clinical diagnosis of such involvement in early stages is difficult, since a mild cognitive impairment can be the only symptom. It was hypothesized that brain-perfusion SPECT would be able to reveal CNS involvement and to monitor the course of the disease. The purpose of this study was assess if and when an improvement of cerebral perfusion can be registered by SPECT during the follow-up of these diseases. MATERIAL AND METHODS Eighteen patients affected by Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), 22 by undifferentiated vasculitis (UV), 5 by Behcet's disease (BD) and 5 by primary Sjogren's Syndrome (pSS) were enrolled in this prospective study. A 99mTc-HMPAO brain perfusion SPECT was performed before the treatment and was repeated during the follow-up at different time intervals. Image analysis was performed on 10 cerebral areas using a specific software. RESULTS In the SLE patients, no significant improvement of brain perfusion was found. On the contrary, in the UV the cerebral uptake of the tracer significantly improved from the twenty-fourth month (18/22 patients). Patients with BD showed an improvement of scintigraphic findings (5/5 patients), while a similar result was obtained only in 2 of the patients with pSS. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, brain SPECT seems to be able to monitor the disease in UV, indicating the moment when an improvement of the cerebral perfusion is achieved. In SLE patients this scintigraphic technique did not show a significant improvement in CNS perfusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Frantellizzi
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Anatomo-Pathological Sciences, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Roma, Italia; PhD Program: Angio-Cardio-Thoracic Pathophisiology and Imaging, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Roma, Italia.
| | - M Morreale
- Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Roma, Italia
| | - M Pontico
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Anatomo-Pathological Sciences, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Roma, Italia
| | - A Francia
- Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Roma, Italia
| | - F M Drudi
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Anatomo-Pathological Sciences, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Roma, Italia
| | - A Farcomeni
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Roma, Italia
| | - M Liberatore
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Anatomo-Pathological Sciences, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Roma, Italia
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Cannarile F, Valentini V, Mirabelli G, Alunno A, Terenzi R, Luccioli F, Gerli R, Bartoloni E. Cardiovascular disease in systemic sclerosis. ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2015; 3:8. [PMID: 25705640 DOI: 10.3978/j.issn.2305-5839.2014.12.12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2014] [Accepted: 12/16/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Cardiovascular (CV) system involvement is a frequent complication of autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It still remains unclear if a premature atherosclerosis (ATS) occurs even in systemic sclerosis (SSc). Although microvascular disease is a hallmark of SSc, in the last few years a number of studies highlighted a higher prevalence of macrovascular disease in SSc patients in comparison to healthy individuals and these data have been correlated with a poorer prognosis. The mechanisms promoting ATS in SSc are not fully understood, but it is believed to be secondary to multi-system organ inflammation, endothelial wall damage and vasculopathy. Both traditional risk factors and endothelial dysfunction have been proposed to participate to the onset and progression of ATS in such patients. In particular, endothelial cell injury induced by anti-endothelial antibodies, ischemia/reperfusion damage, immune-mediated cytotoxicity represent the main causes of vascular injury together with an impaired vascular repair mechanism that determine a defective vasculogenesis. Aim of this review is to analyse both causes and clinical manifestations of macrovascular involvement and ATS in SSc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Cannarile
- Department of Medicine, Rheumatology Unit, University of Perugia, Via dal Pozzo 06132, Perugia, Italy
| | - Valentina Valentini
- Department of Medicine, Rheumatology Unit, University of Perugia, Via dal Pozzo 06132, Perugia, Italy
| | - Giulia Mirabelli
- Department of Medicine, Rheumatology Unit, University of Perugia, Via dal Pozzo 06132, Perugia, Italy
| | - Alessia Alunno
- Department of Medicine, Rheumatology Unit, University of Perugia, Via dal Pozzo 06132, Perugia, Italy
| | - Riccardo Terenzi
- Department of Medicine, Rheumatology Unit, University of Perugia, Via dal Pozzo 06132, Perugia, Italy
| | - Filippo Luccioli
- Department of Medicine, Rheumatology Unit, University of Perugia, Via dal Pozzo 06132, Perugia, Italy
| | - Roberto Gerli
- Department of Medicine, Rheumatology Unit, University of Perugia, Via dal Pozzo 06132, Perugia, Italy
| | - Elena Bartoloni
- Department of Medicine, Rheumatology Unit, University of Perugia, Via dal Pozzo 06132, Perugia, Italy
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Abstract
Behçet syndrome (BS) is an idiopathic chronic relapsing multisystem vascular-inflammatory disease of unknown origin. As the disease affects many organs and systems and shows a wide range of clinical manifestations and presentations, it is prefereable to call Behçet's a syndrome (BS) rather than a disease. Nervous system involvement, known as "neuro-BS" (NBS), is seen in about 5-10% of all cases. Clinical and imaging evidence suggests that primary neurologic involvement in BS may be subclassified into two major forms: the first, which is seen in the majority of patients, may be characterized as a vascular-inflammatory central nervous system disease with focal or multifocal parenchymal involvement, mostly presenting with a subacute brainstem syndrome and hemiparesis (intra-axial NBS); the other, which has few symptoms and a better neurologic prognosis, may be caused by isolated cerebral venous sinus thrombosis and intracranial hypertension (extra-axial NBS), occurring in 10-20% of the cases. These two types are rarely seen in the same individual, and their pathogenesis is likely to be different. Isolated behavioral syndromes and peripheral nervous system involvement are rare, whereas a vascular type headache is relatively common and independent from neurologic involvement. Neurologic complications secondary to systemic involvement of BS, as well as neurologic complications related to BS treatments are considered as secondary neurologic involvement of the syndrome. The core histopathologic phenomenon seems to be a vasculitic involvement in some cases, and low-grade chronic nonspecific inflammation in others. As the neurologic involvement in this syndrome is so heterogeneous, it is difficult to predict its course and prognosis, and its response to treatment. Currently, treatment options for NBS are limited to attack therapies with high-dose intravenous methylprednisolone followed by a prolonged oral taper, symptomatic management, and generally the use of azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, interferon-α and anti-TNF agents for long-term preventive treatment, although there no evidence for their efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabahattin Saip
- Department of Neurology, Cerrahpasa School of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Gulsen Akman-Demir
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Istanbul Bilim University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Aksel Siva
- Department of Neurology, Cerrahpasa School of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.
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Chuang YW, Hsu CC, Huang YF, Lin HF, Chang CC, Lin CY, Tyan YC. Brain perfusion SPECT in patients with Behçet's disease. J Neuroradiol 2013; 40:288-93. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurad.2013.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2012] [Revised: 11/19/2012] [Accepted: 01/04/2013] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Amaral TN, Peres FA, Lapa AT, Marques-Neto JF, Appenzeller S. Neurologic involvement in scleroderma: a systematic review. Semin Arthritis Rheum 2013; 43:335-47. [PMID: 23827688 DOI: 10.1016/j.semarthrit.2013.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2012] [Revised: 04/24/2013] [Accepted: 05/02/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To perform a systematic review of neurologic involvement in Systemic sclerosis (SSc) and Localized Scleroderma (LS), describing clinical features, neuroimaging, and treatment. METHODS We performed a literature search in PubMed using the following MeSH terms, scleroderma, systemic sclerosis, localized scleroderma, localized scleroderma "en coup de sabre", Parry-Romberg syndrome, cognitive impairment, memory, seizures, epilepsy, headache, depression, anxiety, mood disorders, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D), SF-36, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), neuropsychiatric, psychosis, neurologic involvement, neuropathy, peripheral nerves, cranial nerves, carpal tunnel syndrome, ulnar entrapment, tarsal tunnel syndrome, mononeuropathy, polyneuropathy, radiculopathy, myelopathy, autonomic nervous system, nervous system, electroencephalography (EEG), electromyography (EMG), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). Patients with other connective tissue disease knowingly responsible for nervous system involvement were excluded from the analyses. RESULTS A total of 182 case reports/studies addressing SSc and 50 referring to LS were identified. SSc patients totalized 9506, while data on 224 LS patients were available. In LS, seizures (41.58%) and headache (18.81%) predominated. Nonetheless, descriptions of varied cranial nerve involvement and hemiparesis were made. Central nervous system involvement in SSc was characterized by headache (23.73%), seizures (13.56%) and cognitive impairment (8.47%). Depression and anxiety were frequently observed (73.15% and 23.95%, respectively). Myopathy (51.8%), trigeminal neuropathy (16.52%), peripheral sensorimotor polyneuropathy (14.25%), and carpal tunnel syndrome (6.56%) were the most frequent peripheral nervous system involvement in SSc. Autonomic neuropathy involving cardiovascular and gastrointestinal systems was regularly described. Treatment of nervous system involvement, on the other hand, varied in a case-to-case basis. However, corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide were usually prescribed in severe cases. CONCLUSIONS Previously considered a rare event, nervous system involvement in scleroderma has been increasingly recognized. Seizures and headache are the most reported features in LS en coup de sabre, while peripheral and autonomic nervous systems involvement predominate in SSc. Moreover, recently, reports have frequently documented white matter lesions in asymptomatic SSc patients, suggesting smaller branches and perforating arteries involvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiago Nardi Amaral
- Rheumatology Division, Faculty of Medical Science, State University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil; Rheumatology Lab, Faculty of Medical Science, State University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
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Alkan A, Goktan A, Karincaoglu Y, Kamisli S, Dogan M, Oztanir N, Turan N, Kocakoc E. Brain perfusion MRI findings in patients with Behcet's disease. ScientificWorldJournal 2012; 2012:261502. [PMID: 22654579 PMCID: PMC3361152 DOI: 10.1100/2012/261502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2011] [Accepted: 12/08/2011] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective. To search brain perfusion MRI (pMRI) changes in Behcet's disease (BD) with or without neurological involvement. Materials and Method. The pMRI were performed in 34 patients with BD and 16 healthy controls. Based on neurologic examination and post-contrast MRI, 12 patients were classified as Neuro-Behcet (group 1, NBD) and 22 patients as BD without neurological involvement (group 2). Mean transit time (MTT), time to peak (TTP), relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV), and relative cerebral blood flow (rCBF) were obtained and compared to those of healthy control group (group 3). Results. There was a significant difference in the MTT and rCBF within the pons and parietal cortex in groups 1 and 2. rCBV increased in cerebral pedicle in group 1 compared with groups 2 and 3. In the temporal lobe white matter, prolonged MTT and decreased rCBF were found in groups 1 and 2. In the corpus striatum, internal capsule, and periventricular white matter, rCBF increased in group 1 compared with group 3 and decreased in groups 1 and 2. Conclusion. Brain pMRI is a very sensitive method to detect brain involvement in patients with BD and aids the clinical diagnosis of NBD, especially in patients with negative MRI findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alpay Alkan
- Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Bezmialem Vakif University, İstanbul, Turkey. alpay
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Mimura M, Kato M, Kashima H. Neuro-Behcet's disease presenting with amnesia and frontal dysfunction. Clin Neurol Neurosurg 2009; 111:889-92. [DOI: 10.1016/j.clineuro.2009.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2008] [Revised: 08/04/2009] [Accepted: 08/06/2009] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Siva A, Saip S. The spectrum of nervous system involvement in Behçet's syndrome and its differential diagnosis. J Neurol 2009; 256:513-29. [PMID: 19444529 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-009-0145-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2008] [Accepted: 08/25/2008] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Behçet's Syndrome (BS) is a multi-system, vascular-inflammatory disease of unknown origin, involving the nervous system in a subgroup of patients. The growing clinical and imaging evidence suggests that primary neurological involvement in BS may be subclassified into two major forms: the first one, which is seen in the majority of patients, may be characterized as a vascular-inflammatory central nervous system (CNS) disease, with focal or multifocal parenchymal involvement mostly presenting with a subacute brainstem syndrome and hemiparesis; the other, which has few symptoms and a better neurological prognosis, may be caused by isolated cerebral venous sinus thrombosis and intracranial hypertension. These two types rarely occur in the same individual, and their pathogenesis is likely to be different. Isolated behavioral syndromes and peripheral nervous system involvement are rare, whereas a nonstructural vascular type headache is relatively common and independent from neurological involvement. Neurologic complications secondary to systemic involvement of BS such as cerebral emboli from cardiac complications of BS and increased intracranial pressure due to superior vena cava syndrome, as well as neurologic complications related to BS treatments such as CNS neurotoxicity with cyclosporine and peripheral neuropathy with the use of thalidomide or colchisin are considered as secondary neurological complications of this syndrome. As the neurological involvement in this syndrome is so heterogeneous, it is difficult to predict its course and prognosis, and response to treatment. Currently, treatment options are limited to attack and symptomatic therapies with no evidence for the efficacy of any long term preventive treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aksel Siva
- Haci Emin Sok.No:20/7 Nisantasi, 34365, Istanbul, Turkey.
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Behçet's syndrome (BS) is a multi-system, vascular-inflammatory disease of unknown origin, involving the nervous system in a subgroup of patients. The syndrome is rare, but as patients with BS are young and frequently present with an acute or subacute brainstem syndrome or hemiparesis, as well as with other various neurological manifestations, the syndrome is often included in the differential diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, stroke of the young adult, and another wide range of neurological disorders. The present review summarizes the neurological involvement in BS, and emphasizes recent clinical concepts and ethiopathogenetic findings. RECENT FINDINGS Over the last years the growing clinical and imaging evidence had suggested that neurological involvement in BS may be subclassified into two major forms: one, which is seen in the majority of patients, may be characterized as a vascular-inflammatory CNS disease, with focal or multifocal parenchymal involvement; the other, which has few symptoms and a better neurological prognosis, may be caused by isolated cerebral venous sinus thrombosis and intracranial hypertension. These two types rarely occur in the same individual, and their pathogenesis is likely to be different. A nonstructural vascular type headache is relatively common, whereas isolated behavioral syndromes and peripheral nervous system involvement are rare. SUMMARY The involvement of the nervous system in BS is heterogeneous as clinical and imaging data reveal. Currently it is unknown which factors determine or have a role in the development of neurological involvement, but some progress has been achieved in understanding the neurological spectrum of the syndrome, which may lead to a better management of these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aksel Siva
- Department of Neurology, Clinical Neuroimmunology Division, Cerrahpaşa School of Medicine, University of Istanbul, Cerrahpaşa 34303, Istanbul, Turkey.
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