Painful small-fiber neuropathy in Sjogren syndrome

Neurology. 2005 Sep 27;65(6):925-7. doi: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000176034.38198.f9.

Abstract

Of 20 consecutive patients with Sjögren neuropathy, 16 (80%) presented with burning feet and 12 (60%) with non-length-dependent sensory symptoms. Leg and thigh skin biopsies, performed in 13 patients, including 7 with normal electrophysiology, showed either reduced epidermal nerve fiber (ENF) density or abnormal morphology. ENF loss was frequently non length dependent, suggesting that patients with this disorder commonly have a small-fiber sensory neuronopathy rather than a "dying-back" axonopathy.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antibodies, Antinuclear / immunology
  • Autoantigens / immunology
  • Axons / pathology
  • Biopsy
  • Cell Size
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neural Conduction / immunology
  • Neuralgia / diagnosis*
  • Neuralgia / etiology
  • Neuralgia / physiopathology
  • Peripheral Nerves / immunology
  • Peripheral Nerves / pathology
  • Peripheral Nerves / physiopathology
  • Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / etiology
  • Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / physiopathology
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Ribonucleoproteins / immunology
  • SS-B Antigen
  • Sensory Receptor Cells / pathology*
  • Sensory Receptor Cells / physiopathology
  • Sjogren's Syndrome / diagnosis*
  • Sjogren's Syndrome / physiopathology
  • Skin / innervation*
  • Skin / pathology*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Antinuclear
  • Autoantigens
  • Ribonucleoproteins
  • SS-A antibodies