Abstract
Aim: To investigate the effect of primary (pSS) on skeletal muscle
architecture and strength. Method: 19 pSS patients and 19 age, body mass
index and sex matched healthy controls were included. Symptoms of
subject’s were assessed with ESSPRI (The EULAR Sjogren’s Syndrome
Patient Reported Index), anxiety and depression with the Hospital
Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), fatigue with Multidimensional
Assessment of Fatigue scale (MAF), functionality with HAQ.
Ultrasonographic evaluations were performed with a multifrequency linear
probe from quadriceps femoralis, gastrocnemius and soleus of the
bilateral lower extremity. Muscle thickness, pennation angle and
fascicle length were measured. Isokinetic knee muscle strength tests
were performed at 60 and 180°/s. Isokinetic ankle muscle strenght tests
were performed at 30 and 120°/s. Result: In pSS group, mean ESSPRI was
7.70±1.17. Scores of depression (10.05 ± 3.09 vs 4.47 ± 2.29
p<0.0001), anxiety (8.26 ± 4.28 vs 3.79 ± 2.42
p<0.0001), functionality (0.94 ± 0.78 vs 0.22 ± 0.26,
p<0.0001), fatigue (37.69 ± 5.47 vs 17.69 ± 5.26,
p<0.0001) were significantly higher in patients with pSS than
healthy controls. In dominant leg, pennation angle of vastus medialis
was significantly greater in healthy controls than in patients with pSS
(p=0.049). The other ultrasonographic measurements were similar between
the two groups. Peak torque/body weight of knee and ankle muscle were
found to be similar. Conclusion: Although patients with pSS have some
minor structural changes on ultrasonographic evaluation, isokinetic
muscle strength were similar between groups. In patients with pSS,
disease activity and fatigue level were negatively correlated with
isokinetic muscle strength measurement.