RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Pupillocynetic activity of substance P in systemic sclerosis.
JF The Journal of Rheumatology
JO J Rheumatol
FD The Journal of Rheumatology
SP 1231
OP 1237
VO 30
IS 6
A1 Del Rosso, Angela
A1 Bertinotti, Luca
A1 Pietrini, Umberto
A1 Messori, Andrea
A1 Fanciullacci, Marcello
A1 Casale, Roberto
A1 Giacomelli, Roberto
A1 Generini, Sergio
A1 Sicuteri, Riccardo
A1 Pignone, Alberto
A1 Cozzi, Franco
A1 Matucci-Cerinic, Marco
YR 2003
UL http://www.jrheum.org/content/30/6/1231.abstract
AB OBJECTIVE: In systemic sclerosis (SSc), dysfunctions of peripheral nervous system (PNS) have been observed. Substance P (SP) instillation in human eye induces a cholinergic-independent pupil myosis. Pupil basal diameters (PBD) and pupil responsiveness to SP, expressed as area under the curve (AUC), were studied by pupillometry to assess SP-ergic fiber state and function in SSc. METHODS: Forty SSc patients [24 with limited (lSSc), 16 with diffuse (dSSc) disease] and 40 controls underwent pupillometric evaluation. After evaluation of PBD, SP 10-3 M was instilled in one eye and placebo in the contralateral eye. Antinuclear (ANA), anticentromere (ACA), and anti-Scl-70 autoantibodies were correlated with PBD and AUC. RESULTS: PBD was significantly lower in SSc patients versus controls (p < 0.001). PBD was minor in lSSc versus both dSSc and controls (p < 0.05), but no difference was found between dSSc and controls. In SSc, SP 10-3 M induced greater myosis compared to controls (p < 0.001). SP 10-3 M-induced myosis was higher in lSSc versus both dSSc and controls (p < 0.05). ACA significantly correlated with decreased values of PBD and AUC (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our results show that PBD is reduced in patients with SSc and that SP induces a more intense myosis in SSc than controls. Moreover, in lSSc PBD is lower and SP increases the myosis in lSSc compared to dSSc and controls. This suggests a peculiar dysfunction of PNS in patients with the limited subset of SSc.