The British Journal of Rheumatology, Vol 37, 665-670, Copyright © 1998 by British Society for Rheumatology
RH Straub, T Gluck, M Zeuner, J Scholmerich and B Lang
In chronic inflammatory diseases, cytokines stimulate the hypothalamus
pituitary adrenal axis and the hypothalamus autonomic nervous system (HANS)
axis. The present study was performed to find autonomic nervous function
parameters in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) which are
suitable to demonstrate the activation of the HANS axis during systemic
inflammation. Thirty-four patients with SLE (age 35.3 +/- 1.9 yr) were
investigated by seven standardized autonomic nervous function tests. The
SLEDAI and laboratory parameters of systemic inflammation were assessed by
standard techniques. Pupillary latency time hyperreflexia was found in
29.4%, whereas maximal pupillary area was hyperresponsive in only 2.9%. A
total of 12% had overall cardiovascular autonomic nervous hyperreflexia.
Patients with latency time hyperreflexia had more severe systemic
inflammation [erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR): P < 0.001;
C-reactive protein (CRP): P = 0.0094; fibrinogen: P < 0.001; albumin: P
= 0.003; antinuclear antibodies: P = 0.020]. The longitudinal study of 13
patients during 4 yr demonstrated a parallel increase and decrease in
latency time percentile and ESR. SLE patients with increased systemic
inflammation had an activated HANS axis which can be measured by a
parasympathetic pupillary reflex test.
ORIGINAL PAPERS
Association of pupillary parasympathetic hyperreflexia and systemic inflammation in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Regensburg, Germany.
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