The spectrum of neurological involvement in Sjögren's syndrome

Abstract

Sixty-three unselected consecutive patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSs) were prospectively evaluated for evidence of neurological manifestations. Seventeen had a mild sensory or mixed neuropathy. Two of these plus one more patient had trigeminal neuropathy. One had pure motor neuropathy, whereas another eight had latent motor neuropathy. None volunteered neurological complaints. Two more patients had symptomatic unilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. Severe mononeuritis multiplex and symptomatic symmetrical distal neuropathy were seen in two patients with vasculitis. One patient, with a history of hypertension and no subjective sicca complaints, had a mild cerebrovascular accident and objective evidence of changes compatible with pSs. The study suggests that peripheral neurological involvement is relatively common and benign in the majority of pSs individuals, whereas central nervous system (CNS) disease must be rare.