Prevalence of Sjögren's syndrome in Brazilian patients infected with human T‐cell lymphotropic virus

Abstract

The prevalence of SS was found to be three times as high in HTLV-I-infected individuals as it was in those without HTLV-I infection. However, given the small number of HTLV-seropositive patients with SS, it is impossible to state that HTLV acts as an immune-activating pathogen for SS.

Morphological alterations in minor salivary glands of HTLV1+ patients: A pilot study

“…Even though epidemiological studies have shown a higher frequency of SS in HTLV‐1 infected patients, subsequent works using more accurate methodological designs found discrepant results and established a counterpoint, making the association between HTLV‐1 and SS, at least, still questionable . On the other hand, a common concept in the literature addressing this theme is the presence of dry mouth sensation reported by HTLV‐1‐seropositive patients.…”

“…Because the biopsy of minor salivary gland is not indispensable for the diagnosis of SS, a few patients underwent it. Part of the cases evaluated in the present work (ie, 7 cases in the HTLV‐1 group and five cases in the SS group) originated from a study previously performed by Vale et al The paraffin blocks containing the specimens of minor salivary glands were part of the archives of the Surgical Pathology Service of the School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo. Demographic data on clinical conditions of the patients (asymptomatic or with HAM/TSP) were also obtained from previous study.…”

“…Although xerostomia is a constant complaint of HTLV‐1‐infected patients, other characteristics necessary for the diagnosis of SS are not present in these individuals, thus making some authors believe that HTLV‐seropositive patients do not have SS, but a sicca syndrome mediated by the virus …”

Prosultiamine for treatment of lower urinary tract dysfunction accompanied by human T‐lymphotropic virus type 1‐associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis

“…In addition, anticholinergic agents are rather difficult to use for patients with HAM/TSP because of adverse events, including dry mouth, voiding difficulty, dry eye, constipation and cognitive dysfunction, which are autonomic symptoms and tissue destruction in almost all patients with HAM/TSP. 22 Hence, anticholinergic drugs sometimes have more heavily toxic effects than treatment efficacies. Recently, Carneiro et al reported a case series about the efficacy of botulinum toxin type A intravesical therapy for three OAB patients with HAM/TSP.…”

“…26 Furthermore, infected inflammatory T-cell lymphocytes proliferate in the salivary gland and uvea of HAM/TSP patients. 22,26,27 Although it is beyond the scope of the present study, infected inflammatory T-cell lymphocytes might exist in the bladder's interstitial wall and induce various urinary symptoms.…”