类风湿关节炎伴发周围神经病变5例特征分析

背景类风湿关节炎(rheumatoidarthritis,RA)以慢性、对称性多关节炎为主要表现的系统性疾病.RA并发周围神经系统病变不常见.设计以患者为观察对象的回顾性病例分析.目的分析5例RA患者伴发周围神经病的临床和实验室特点.单位北京协和大学医院的风湿免疫科.对象北京协和医院自1983-01/2002-12收治RA患者567例,其中5例伴发周围神经病变,全部病例均符合美国风湿病学会分类诊断标准.其中5例并发神经系统损害不能以其它疾病解释.5例均处于疾病活动期,实验室指标符合RA活动性核心标准.方法分析5例RA患者病案资料,所记载的周围神经病变症状及电生理学检测记录和实验室检查指标.主要观察指标性别、年龄、病程、肌力障碍及感觉障碍程度、肌电图、肌活检及神经活检、相关实验室指标.结果5例中男2例,女3例,年龄42～60岁,平均52岁.病程1～14年,平均5.4年.以神经系统为主诉就诊的4例,占80%(4/5),另1例入院后查体肌力下降,痛觉减退.四肢无力麻木、肢体远端痛觉减低4例,感觉异常3例,足下垂2例,腕下垂1例,肌萎缩3例,肌力下降5例,腱反射消失3例.出现周围神经病变或病变加重时4例伴关节肿痛,5例均有血沉增快,C反应蛋白升高,类风湿因子高滴度阳性,X射线示关节间隙变窄、关节面侵蚀破坏.伴血管炎3例,类风湿结节2例.肌电图显示4例周围神经源性损害,另1例肌活检证实为神经源性损害.1例神经活检示慢性中度轴索性神经病.结论本组RA患者伴多发性周围神经病发生率为1%(5/569),发生于RA活动期或在活动期有所加重,100%(5/5)肌力下降,并有60%(3/5)出现肌萎缩.80%(4/5)肌电图有周围神经损害表现,有助于早期诊断.

Rheumatoid arthritis complicated by peripheral neuropathy: an analysis of lesion characteristics in 5 cases

BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis(RA) is a systemic disease mainly characterized by chronic and symmetric polyarthritis. Peripheral neuropathy due to RA, however, is uncommon.OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical manifestations and laboratory findings of RA complicated by peripheral neuropathy in 5 cases.DESIGN: A retrospective case analysis based on patients as subjects.SETTING: Department of Rheumatism and Immunity, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College.PARTICIPANTS: Totally 567 RA patients were admitted to Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 1983 to December 2002, including 5 cases of peripheral neuropathy. All the cases met the criteria for RA formulated by American Rheumatism Association(ARA), according to which 5 cases of peripheral neuropathy in the active phase were confirmed due to RA. The laboratory indexes in 5 cases accorded with the active core indexes of RA.METHODS: Clinical data of 5 cases of RA were analyzed, and symptoms of peripheral neuropathy, as well as the indexes recorded electrophysiologically and in laboratory were recorded and assessed MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Sex, age, course of disease, severity of muscle strength disorder and sensory disorder, electromyography(EMG),biopsy of muscle and nerve, and related laboratory indexes.RESULTS: Five cases were enrolled, including 2 males and 3 females, 42 to 60 years of age(meanly 52 years old), and the course of disease ranged 1 to 14 years, and 5.4 years on the average. Four cases were hospitalized for neurological manifestations, accounting for 80% (4/5), and the other one appeared to have decreased muscle strength and hypoalgesia. Asthenia and numbness of limbs and hypoalgesia of the distal of limbs occurred in 4 cases,paraesthesia in 3 cases, foot drop in 2 cases, carpoptosis in 1 case, myatrophy in 3 cases, decreased muscle strength in 5 cases, and tendon areflexia in 3 cases; joint swelling or pain during the appearance and aggravation of peripheral neuropathy in 4 cases, increased erythrocyte sedimentation, increased level of C-reactive protein, high-titer rheumatoid factor and X-ray changes of joints( i. e., narrowed joint space or erosion and destruction on surface of joint) in 5 cases There were 3 cases complicated by vasculitis, and 2 cases by rheumatoid nodules. EMG showed damages of peripheral nerves in 4 cases. Muscle biopsy and nerve biopsy exhibited neurogenic lesion and chronic moderate axonal neuropathy respectively in 1 case.CONCLUSION: In the present study, the incidence of peripheral polyneuropathy was 1% (5/569), which mainly occurred or was aggravated in the active phase of RA. Among the 5 cases of peripheral neuropathy, 100% (5/5 )developed decreased muscle strength, 60% (3/5) developed myatrophy and 80% (4/5) had symptoms of peripheral neuropathy. The findings are helpful in the early diagnosis of RA.