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Presentation Number: 1873
Objective: To investigate cognitive functions in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).
Methods: Between May 2002 and March 2005, 27 consecutive French native and schooling SSc patients (26 women and 1 man, mean age 49.2 years) fulfilling the ACR and/or Leroy and Medsger criteria were evaluated. Nineteen had diffuse SSc, and 8 had limited cutaneous SSc. Twenty three consecutive French native and schooling rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients (20 women and 3 men, mean age 51.7 years) were also evaluated. The cognitive evaluation consisted in evaluation of: (1) executive capacities (attentional, conceptual, verbal fluency and shifting abilities), (2) language and (3) memory capacities (short term and long term memory).
Results: Twenty five SSc patients (92 %) and 14 RA patients (60%) presented at least one cognitive impairment. Compared to RA patients, SSc patients presented cognitive slowness and lower performances in executive functions (conceptual, verbal fluency and attentional abilities), language ability and memory capacities. Memory deficiencies documented in SSc patients were difficulties in learning new information, and difficulties in recalling recently learned information. SSc patients did not forget learned information but showed difficulties in recalling these information without cue.
Conclusions: Cognitive impairments are significantly more frequently encountered in SSc than in RA patients. The cause of such cognitive impairment remains to be investigated.
Methods: Between May 2002 and March 2005, 27 consecutive French native and schooling SSc patients (26 women and 1 man, mean age 49.2 years) fulfilling the ACR and/or Leroy and Medsger criteria were evaluated. Nineteen had diffuse SSc, and 8 had limited cutaneous SSc. Twenty three consecutive French native and schooling rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients (20 women and 3 men, mean age 51.7 years) were also evaluated. The cognitive evaluation consisted in evaluation of: (1) executive capacities (attentional, conceptual, verbal fluency and shifting abilities), (2) language and (3) memory capacities (short term and long term memory).
Results: Twenty five SSc patients (92 %) and 14 RA patients (60%) presented at least one cognitive impairment. Compared to RA patients, SSc patients presented cognitive slowness and lower performances in executive functions (conceptual, verbal fluency and attentional abilities), language ability and memory capacities. Memory deficiencies documented in SSc patients were difficulties in learning new information, and difficulties in recalling recently learned information. SSc patients did not forget learned information but showed difficulties in recalling these information without cue.
Conclusions: Cognitive impairments are significantly more frequently encountered in SSc than in RA patients. The cause of such cognitive impairment remains to be investigated.
L. Mouthon, None.