A Case of Superficial Siderosis with Elevated Anti-Ro/SSA Antibody

Superficial siderosis (SS) of the central nervous system is a rare disorder that is caused by chronic or recurrent hemorrhage in the subarachnoid space via a dural defect at the spinal level. The most common clinical features of SS include slow-progressive sensorineural deafness, cerebellar symptoms, and pyramidal tract signs. Considering that SS can present with broad clinical manifestations, for precise diagnosis, this disease must be understood. Anti-Ro/SSA antibodies are commonly detected in patients with Sjögren's syndrome and are utilized as markers for autoimmune diseases. In this report, we present a unique pathological condition in which SS coincided with a positive anti-Ro/SSA antibody test result. During the diagnosis of gait disturbance, an elevation in anti-Ro/SSA antibody was detected, and steroid pulse therapy was initiated as the initial treatment for autoimmune diseases. Head magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed extensive hypointensity as a dark band that surrounded the intracranial basal structures and cerebellar hemispheres. Spinal MRI indicated ventral longitudinal intraspinal fluid collection extending from C7 to T5 as well as a defect in the ventral T2-3 dura mater. Intraoperative visualization revealed that the intradural venous plexus was the source of bleeding that caused the SS. To our knowledge, this report is the first to discuss the presence of anti-Ro/SSA antibodies in patients with SS. The role of anti-Ro/SSA antibodies in the pathophysiology of SS remains unclear; therefore, to confirm a possible association, further research and accumulation of cases are required.