REVIEW - Demyelination in rheumatic diseases

[Guest guest]

Postgrad Med J. 2008 Mar;84(989):127-32.

Demyelination in rheumatic diseases.

Theodoridou A, Settas L.

Athina Theodoridou, Rheumatology Unit of the 1st Internal Medicine

department, AHEPA University Hospital, 54006 Thessaloniki, Greece.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the

central nervous system (CNS) characterised by multifocal areas of

demyelination in the white matter of the brain and spinal cord.

Autoantibodies, for example antinuclear antibodies, can also be

present. MS and other demyelinating processes, such as transverse

myelitis and optic neuritis (which may be clinically isolated cases or

be part of the clinical spectrum of MS), are sometimes difficult to

differentiate from CNS involvement in systemic autoimmune diseases

like systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), antiphospholipid syndrome

(APS), Sjoegren's syndrome (SS), and Adamantiades-Behcet disease (BD).

An acute isolated neurological syndrome presents the biggest

diagnostic problem, since it is common in MS, but can also be the only

feature or first manifestation in SLE, APS, SS, and BD. Indeed, the

clinical presentation and lesions evidenced by magnetic resonance

imaging may be similar.

PMID: 18372483

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18372483

--

Not an MD

[Guest guest]

Yep, MS and Lupus, the great mimics!

>

> Postgrad Med J. 2008 Mar;84(989):127-32.

>

>

> Demyelination in rheumatic diseases.

>

>

> Theodoridou A, Settas L.

> Athina Theodoridou, Rheumatology Unit of the 1st Internal Medicine

> department, AHEPA University Hospital, 54006 Thessaloniki, Greece.

>

>

> Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the

> central nervous system (CNS) characterised by multifocal areas of

> demyelination in the white matter of the brain and spinal cord.

> Autoantibodies, for example antinuclear antibodies, can also be

> present. MS and other demyelinating processes, such as transverse

> myelitis and optic neuritis (which may be clinically isolated cases or

> be part of the clinical spectrum of MS), are sometimes difficult to

> differentiate from CNS involvement in systemic autoimmune diseases

> like systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), antiphospholipid syndrome

> (APS), Sjoegren's syndrome (SS), and Adamantiades-Behcet disease (BD).

> An acute isolated neurological syndrome presents the biggest

> diagnostic problem, since it is common in MS, but can also be the only

> feature or first manifestation in SLE, APS, SS, and BD. Indeed, the

> clinical presentation and lesions evidenced by magnetic resonance

> imaging may be similar.

>

>

> PMID: 18372483

>

> http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18372483

>

>

> --

>

> Not an MD

>