RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Sympathetic skin response (SSR) is a technique to assess the sympathetic cholinergic pathways. Sympathetic dysfunction may participate in the development of pain, which is the major complaint in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). OBJECTIVES: In this study, we aimed to assess the autonomic dysfunction in patients with (SSc) and (RA) using SSR as a simple neurophysiologic test. METHODS: Palmar SSR to median nerve electrical stimulation was recorded in 21 patients with SSc, 39 patients with RA, and in 60 healthy age and sex-matched control subjects. RESULTS: Palmar SSR to median nerve stimulation (of SSc patients and RA patients) shows significantly delayed latency and reduced amplitude in comparison to the control group. SSR of SSc patients has significantly delayed latency and reduced amplitude when compared to RA patients. Moreover, six SSc patients have delayed SSR in spite of the absence of manifestations of polyneuropathy. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with SSc and RA have features of autonomic dysfunction with more affection of SSc patients.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic and disabling disorder with considerable social effects and economic sequelae. It is one of the major causes of disability in young adults. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed at detecting the prevalence of MS among the population of Al Quseir city. METHODS: This study is a part of door-to-door survey of major neurological disorders that was conducted in Al Quseir city, Red Sea Governorate, Egypt. The sample size was 33,285 persons. The youngest patient was 17 years old. The number of people at and above 17 years of age was 21,827. They were screened by three neurologists. Then, the positive cases were subjected to meticulous clinical evaluation by three staff members of Department of Neurology, Assiut University Hospital, Egypt. Essential investigations were done. RESULTS: A total of three cases of MS were diagnosed with an age-specific prevalence ≥17 years of 13.7/100,000.
