AUTONOMIC CARDIOVASCULAR NEUROPATHY IN PRIMARY SJOGRENS-SYNDROME

The case of a 65-year-old female with primary Sjogren's syndrome and s evere autonomic cardiovascular neuropathy, manifested by incapacitatin g postural hypotension, is presented. It is postulated that the patien t's Sjogren's syndrome was responsible for the autonomic neuropathy, p robably via a vasculitic mechanism. Treatment with hydrocortisone resu lted in improvement in the patient's symptoms but it did not significa ntly alter the objective findings of autonomic dysfunction. We suggest that it is probably worth studying Sjogren's patients for evidence of autonomic neuropathy.