title: [A patient with primary Sjögren's syndrome featuring polyneuropathy and oculomotor paralysis and associated with asymptomatic left middle cerebral artery stenosis].
abstract: We report a case of primary Sjögren's syndrome (primary SjS) with polyneuropathy and right oculomotor paralysis associated with middle cerebral artery stenosis. A 39-year-old woman developed progressive numbness and clumsiness of the limbs. Two months later, right third cranial palsy manifested itself and she was admitted to our hospital. A cranial MRA showed left middle cerebral artery stenosis confirmed by transcranial color doppler sonography. A nerve conduction study showed a decrease in the NCV and reduced CMAP, while sural nerve biopsy showed axonal degeneration and infiltration of inflammatory cells around the small blood vessel walls. The patient complained of dry mouth and a salivary gland biopsy revealed inflammatory changes, while salivary gland scintigraphy showed diminished secretion. These findings led to the diagnosis of Sjögren's syndrome. Reports of primary SjS with involvement of large cerebral arteries are rare. In our case, polyneuropathy and oculomotor paralysis were the manifest symptoms, but middle cerebral artery stenosis was also observed. This indicates that, even in the absence of CNS symptoms, cerebral artery involvement may be present in primary SjS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Nishi-Kobe Medical Center.
authors.forename: Chie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yanagihara
authors.forename: Kayoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakaji
authors.forename: Yo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nishimura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002539:Cerebral Arterial Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009886:Ophthalmoplegia / Q000209:etiology*; D011115:Polyneuropathies / Q000209:etiology*; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis