TY - JOUR
T1 - Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy reveals central neuroaxonal impairment in systemic sclerosis
AU - Bertinotti, Luca
AU - Mortilla, Marzia
AU - Conforti, Maria Letizia
AU - Colangelo, Nicola
AU - Nacci, Francesca
AU - Del Rosso, Angela
AU - Fonda, Claudio
AU - Casale, Roberto
AU - Matucci-Cerinic, Marco
AU - Pignone, Alberto
PY - 2006/3
Y1 - 2006/3
N2 - Objective. Involvement of the central nervous system (CNS) in systemic sclerosis (SSc) is rare. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ( 1H-MRS) assesses in vivo cerebral metabolites. We investigated the biochemical modifications of the CNS in SSc. Methods. N-acetylaspartate/creatine ratio (NAA/Cr) and choline/creatine ratio (Cho/Cr) at right centrum semiovale (RCS) and at right basal ganglia (RBG) were evaluated by 1H-MRS in 12 patients with limited (lSSc) and 8 patients with diffuse SSc (dSSc) and 20 control subjects. Results. With 1H-MRS, a significant reduction of NAA/Cr ratio at RBG (p <0.02) and at RCS (p <0.002) was detected in SSc patients. Cho/Cr ratio was increased (p <0.02) in the RCS, but not in RBG. In patients with lSSc, a significant reduction of NAA/Cr was detected in RCS but not in RBG. Conclusion. Evidence of neuroaxonal damage strongly suggests the existence of CNS involvement in SSc.
AB - Objective. Involvement of the central nervous system (CNS) in systemic sclerosis (SSc) is rare. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ( 1H-MRS) assesses in vivo cerebral metabolites. We investigated the biochemical modifications of the CNS in SSc. Methods. N-acetylaspartate/creatine ratio (NAA/Cr) and choline/creatine ratio (Cho/Cr) at right centrum semiovale (RCS) and at right basal ganglia (RBG) were evaluated by 1H-MRS in 12 patients with limited (lSSc) and 8 patients with diffuse SSc (dSSc) and 20 control subjects. Results. With 1H-MRS, a significant reduction of NAA/Cr ratio at RBG (p <0.02) and at RCS (p <0.002) was detected in SSc patients. Cho/Cr ratio was increased (p <0.02) in the RCS, but not in RBG. In patients with lSSc, a significant reduction of NAA/Cr was detected in RCS but not in RBG. Conclusion. Evidence of neuroaxonal damage strongly suggests the existence of CNS involvement in SSc.
KW - Central nervous system
KW - Neurometabolic alterations
KW - Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy
KW - Systemic sclerosis
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M3 - Article
C2 - 16511924
AN - SCOPUS:33644672477
SN - 0315-162X
VL - 33
SP - 546
EP - 551
JO - Journal of Rheumatology
JF - Journal of Rheumatology
IS - 3
ER -