Recurrent Cerebral Infarctions in Primary Sjögren Syndrome: A Case Report and Literature Review

Abstract

Recurrent cerebral infarctions are extremely rare in patients with primary Sjögren syndrome. We report a 66-year-old woman who was admitted to our hospital due to acute cerebral infarction with exacerbation of dysphagia and right-sided hemiplegia as the main symptoms. In the past 3 months, she had developed cerebral infarction twice, even though she had no risk factors for atherosclerosis. She was eventually diagnosed with primary Sjögren syndrome based on a long history of dryness of the eyes and mouth, positive anti-Ro(SSA) antibodies, and the findings of a labial salivary gland biopsy. The response to pulse methylprednisolone therapy after recurrent cerebral infarctions was poor. Thus we consider primary Sjögren syndrome patients with central nervous system involvement should be treated as soon as possible.

ELA em associação ou componente do quadro clínico da síndrome de sjögren: um relato de caso

“…A SSp tem potencial de causar lesões no Sistema Nervoso Periférico (SNP), onde os nervos sensoriais são os mais afetados [4][5][6] ; sua patogênese pode estar relacionada à infiltração de linfócitos nos gânglios da raiz dorsal 5 . Em oposição, o envolvimento do Sistema Nervoso Central (SNC) é relativamente raro em pacientes com SSp (2% a 25%) e quando afetado, os sintomas podem incluir disfunção cognitiva, cefaleia, convulsões, mielite transversa, meningite asséptica, encefalopatia disseminada, neuromielite óptica, esclerose múltipla e lesão de nervo craniano 5,[7][8][9] .…”

Sjögren’s syndrome with rapidly progressive motor neuron disease: a case report

“…When the central nervous system is affected, symptoms can include cognitive dysfunction, aseptic meningitis, headache, seizures, transverse myelitis, neuromyelitis optica, disseminated encephalopathy, multiple sclerosis, and cranial nerve injury. 1 , 6 – 8 …”