Sneddon's syndrome presenting with neuropathic pain

Skinmed. 2013 Jul-Aug;11(4):251-2.

Abstract

A 55-year-old man was admitted to us with a sense of numbness, tingling, and burning in his feet and headache, characterized as a feeling of pressure all around his head, for 1 year and aggravated in the past 3 months. The patient's neurologic examination was normal and he had no other known diseases except for hypertension according to his medical history. During the examination, we recognized purplish lesions on the patient's body. His kidney, liver, and thyroid function test results and vitamin B12 levels were all normal. His hematocrit level was 41.8%, platelet value was 234,000 (150,000-500,000); and sedimentation rate was 9 mm/h (0-20). Electromyography was performed and results were found to be normal. The patient was diagnosed as having small fiber neuropathy. Dermatologic examination revealed reddish blue mottling of the skin with fishnet reticular pattern on his back, on the front side of the body, and on both arms and legs, and the lesions were classified as livedo racemosa (Figure 1). Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed subcortical hyperintense ischemic-gliotic signal changes on T2-FLAIR in the deep white matter of bilateral frontoparietal vertex, centrum semiovale, and corona radiata (Figure 2). FLAIR sequence axial MRI of the brain of our patient showed subcortical hyperintense lesions in both cerebral hemispheres. His cardiac examination was normal and minimal aortic regurgitation was seen on echocardiography. His cognitive assessment Minimental Test Score was 22, and Montreal Cognitive Assessment score was 18. Laboratory values for inflammatory markers and autoimmune antibodies including syphilis serology, lupus anticoagulants, and anticardiolipin antibodies were negative. Factor V Leiden mutation was not detected in the patient. The patient was diagnosed with Sneddon's syndrome with the above signs and symptoms and small fiber neuropathy. Clopidogrel 75 mg and gabapentin 1200 mg was started once a day and blood pressure regulation was achieved.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Amines / therapeutic use
  • Analgesics / therapeutic use
  • Clopidogrel
  • Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids / therapeutic use
  • Gabapentin
  • Headache / etiology
  • Humans
  • Hypesthesia / etiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pain / etiology*
  • Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Sneddon Syndrome / complications*
  • Sneddon Syndrome / diagnosis*
  • Sneddon Syndrome / drug therapy
  • Ticlopidine / analogs & derivatives
  • Ticlopidine / therapeutic use
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Amines
  • Analgesics
  • Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids
  • Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
  • Gabapentin
  • Clopidogrel
  • Ticlopidine