Case report of primary Sjögren Syndrome with simple trigeminal lesion as initial symptom

Abstract

Purpose: It will provide a reference for early detection, early diagnosis and early treatment of atypical primary Sjogren syndrome with neurological impairment as the first symptom.

Methods: Case report and Literature review.

Results: Here we report a 30-year-old woman diagnosed with trigeminal damage secondary to pSS who presented atypical trigeminal neuralgia of numbness of the right head and face and persistent prickling-like pain not associated with eating, talking or tooth-brushing, and had no "trigger point". The patient further received rheumatoid immune factor tests, ophthalmic examinations, salivary gland emissioncomputed tomography(ECT) and lip biopsy, and found positive antinuclear antibodies (1:320), atypical xerophthalmia, impaired intake and excretion of bilateral salivary glands and degree II of lip biopsy. The patient received methylprednisolone and antiviral therapy, which showed very good outcome.

Conclusions: Clinically primary Sjögren Syndrome (pSS) combined with trigeminal lesion is common, but cases of pSS with trigeminal involvement as initial symptom have rarely been reported, which is easy to misdiagnose. This case suggested that the signs of simple trigeminal lesion, especially those with atypical manifestations, could be the early manifestation of other systemic diseases. Attention should be paid to identification of the pathogeny of the primary disease to achieve early identification, diagnosis and treatment.

Keywords: Dry mouth and dry eyes; Lip biopsy; Peripheral nervous system damage; Primary Sjögren Syndrome; Trigeminal lesion.