Clinical Analysis of Sjogren's Syndrome

Lee, Choong Won; Lee, Won Ki; Lee, Ji Soo; Lee, Chan Hee; Song, Chang Ho; Suh, Chang Hee; Park, Yong Beom; Lee, Soo Kon

Abstract

We investigate the clinical characteristics of Sjogren's syndrome (SS).
METHODS
We. retrospectively reviewed 59 patients with SS in the period from January 19: To 86 to January 1997. European Epidemiology Center criteria was used to diagnose SS.
OBJECTIVES
AND RESULTS: Thirty-one primary SS and 28 secondary SS patients were included in this study. There were 57 females and 2 males, the mean age was 45. 2+12.3 years (24 to 70 years). Patients with secondary SS were associated with rheumatoid arthritis(n=10), systemic lupus erythematosus(n=7), scleroderma(n=5), mixed connective tissue disease(n=3), and myositis(n=3). The common presenting symptoms were dry mouth in 92% and dry eyes in 90% of patients. Other symptom and signs included fatigue(27%), lymphadenopathy(22%) and parotid gland swelling (10%). The commonly presented autoantibodies were antinuclear antibody(83%) and rheumatoid factor(57%). Anti-Ro was positive in 49%(25/51) and anti-La in 37%(19/51). Anti-La positivity was significantly higher in primary SS(52%) compared to secondary SS(21%) (p<0.05). Schirmer test was positive in 98% (44/45), salivary radioscintigraphy in 74%(25/34), and lower lip biopsy in 47%(16/34). Extraglandular manifestations, such as Raynaud's phenomenon, vasculitis, glomerulonephritis, vaginal dryness, renal tubular acidosis, and primary biliary cirrhosis, were more frequently presented in primary SS compared to secondary SS (p<0. 05).
CONCLUSION
The sex, age, and clinical manifestation of primary SS were similar with secondary SS, but extraglandular manifestations and anti-La antibody positivity were more frequent in primary SS.