title: Ischaemic stroke in progressive systemic sclerosis.
abstract: Progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS) or scleroderma is a multisystem disease affecting the skin, lungs, myocardium, kidneys and gastrointestinal tract. Primary involvement of cerebral arteries in PSS has been reported but is very rare. A 61-year-old woman suffering from scleroderma for six years was hospitalised for two subsequent episodes of transient acute dysarthria and left hemiparesis. After five hours from the first onset of symptoms, she was submitted to brain magnetic resonance (MR) protocol that showed a right subinsular ischaemic lesion and whole right middle cerebral artery (MCA) territory hypoperfusion. Intracranial and epiaortic MR angiography reported a focal stenosis in the M2 portion of MCA. She was immediately treated with i.v. high dose steroids and oral acetylsalicylic acid. At one-month follow up, MR findings were confirmed. We have documented a cerebral infarct in a PSS patient. In our opinion, the ischaemic stroke was caused by a localised autoimmune angiopathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological and Psychiatric Sciences, University of Bari, Piazza G. Cesare 12, I-70124 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lucivero
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Mezzapesa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Petruzzellis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carella
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lamberti
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Federico
mesh_terms: D001241:Aspirin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004401:Dysarthria / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020244:Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D020768:Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010291:Paresis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D045743:Scleroderma, Diffuse / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013256:Steroids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D013256:Steroids; D001241:Aspirin