[A case of Werner syndrome associated with spastic paraparesis and peripheral neuropathy]

A 33-year-old woman, whose parents were consanguineously married, was admitted to our hospital because of progressive difficulty in walking and hoarseness in speech. She had been in good health as a child, at age 16 ulcerations appeared on the skin of feet, and have been recurrent. AT age 22, bilateral cataracts were removed. From the age of 26 years, the deformities in the toes and fingers worsened and she had difficulty in walking. At age 32, hoarseness was noticed. The patient was a diminutive woman and the skin was dry, thin and hyperpigmented. The neurological examination revealed mental retardation, spastic paraparesis and polyneuropathy. Electrophysiological studies revealed a slowing of central and peripheral nerve conduction. Sural nerve biopsy revealed a significantly higher incidence of de- and remyelination and a loss of myelinated fibers. These data suggest that the central and peripheral nervous systems are affected in Werner syndrome.