Annals of the rheumatic diseases
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Technetium-99m ethyl cysteinate dimer (99mTc ECD) single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) of the brain was used to detect abnormal regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) and normal findings on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). ⋯ This study suggests that 99mTc ECD SPECT is a sensitive tool for detecting regions of hypoperfusion in the brains of patients with pSS and neuropsychiatric symptoms or signs and normal findings on brain MRI. However, a review of the literature showed that the (99m)Tc ECD SPECT findings in patients with pSS were non-specific.
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Comparative Study
Critical illness in systemic lupus erythematosus and the antiphospholipid syndrome.
To investigate the causes, course, and outcome of critical illness requiring emergency admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), or both. ⋯ Critical illness requiring ICU admission may occur in patients with SLE and APS. In this study, ICU survival was better than previously described, but long term survival was poor. Cyclophosphamide administration, low white cell count, and high severity of illness score were associated with reduced survival. Before adjustment for these factors, only renal disease had an adverse effect on outcome but after adjustment, infection and APS reduced survival.
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Autonomic dysfunction has been described in primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS). ⋯ For the group no differences in sympathetic and parasympathetic cardiac control were seen between patients with primary SS and controls, as assessed by spectral techniques, although some cardiovascular differences were found, particularly during orthostatic challenge.
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To investigate two questions in a community based population of people with chronic shoulder pain. Firstly, does chronic pain lead to impaired psychological health over time? Secondly, how does restriction of daily activity influence pain perception and psychological health? ⋯ In those with chronic shoulder pain the relation between pain and psychological health seems to be linked to disability. Psychological distress was not explained by persistent pain itself.