Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry, 1995, Vol 58, 244-246

PAPERS

Chronic dacryosialadenitis in HTLV I associated myelopathy

L Cartier, JL Castillo, JG Cea and R Villagra
Departamento de Ciencias Neurologicas, Universidad de Chile.

A prospective study was carried out on 48 patients with HTLV I associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) to assess the association between this entity and Sjogren's syndrome. Fourteen patients (29.1%) had chronic dacryosialadenitis confirmed by a positive Schirmer's test and salivary gland biopsy. None of these patients had evidence of collagen disease and tests for Ro, La, and rheumatoid factor were negative except in one case. Therefore, the dacryosialadenitis could not be classified as either primary or secondary Sjogren's syndrome. Ten of the 14 patients (71.4%) had other systems (haematological, articular, dermatological, or respiratory) involved apart from the neurological and exocrine gland pathology. The findings suggest that the dacryosialadenitis associated with HTLV I is a disease of viral origin distinct from Sjogren's syndrome.

© 1995 by Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry

This article has been cited by other articles:

				E. Ramirez, L. Cartier, M. Rios, and J. Fernandez Defective Human T-Cell Lymphotropic Virus Type I (HTLV-I) Provirus in 10 Chilean Seronegative Patients with Tropical Spastic Paraparesis or HTLV-I-Associated Myelopathy J. Clin. Microbiol., June 1, 1998; 36(6): 1811 - 1813. [Abstract] [Full Text]