This systematic review looked at neurological involvement in patients with localized scleroderma (LoS). The researchers analyzed data from 3,500 patients across 242 different publications to identify common symptoms and imaging results.
Findings show that central nervous system symptoms often include headaches, migraines, epilepsy, and hemiparesis. Specifically, headaches and migraines were found more frequently in patients with Parry-Romberg syndrome than in those with en coup de sabre. Peripheral nervous system issues were also common, including facial pain, paresthesia, and cranial nerve involvement.
Imaging tests like MRI and CT scans revealed common findings such as white matter lesions, brain atrophy, and brain calcification. Because of these findings, the review suggests that doctors should perform MRI scans for all craniofacial LoS patients at the time of diagnosis. Because this is a review of existing literature rather than a new clinical trial, these results show common patterns rather than new treatments.
