Clinical and biochemical characteristics of sjögren’s syndrome and its differences from keratoconjunctivitis sicca

Abstract

Objective: In this study we aimed to compare the clinical and biochemical characteristics of primary Sjögren’s syndrome patients with that of keratoconjunctivitis sicca, secondary Sjögren syndrome and undifferentiated disease. Patients and Methods: Patients with Sjögren’s syndrome and keratoconjunctivitis sicca who applied between August 2009 and January 2010 were included in this study. Demographic data, laboratory characteristics, Schirmer’s test and salivary gland biopsies of the patients were recorded. Results: Average diagnosis age for 87 primary Sjögren’s syndrome, 25 secondary Sjögren’s syndrome, 27 keratoconjunctivitis sicca and 44 undifferentiated group patients were 45±13, 43±14, 44±11 ve 45±11 years (p>0.05), accordingly. Critical and severe mouth dryness rate was 45% in primary Sjögren’s syndrome group and 7% in keratoconjunctivitis sicca group, critical and severe eye dryness was 43% in primary Sjögren’s syndrome group and 78% in keratoconjunctivitis sicca group (p<0.001). Grade 3≥ positivity in salivary gland biopsy was found as 71.2% in primary Sjögren’s syndrome group and 27.2% in the undifferentiated group (p<0.001). Conclusions: More dense lymphocyte infiltration was detected in primary Sjögren’s syndrome in salivary gland biopsies. As 27.2% of undifferentiated group patients had positive salivary gland biopsies, they might need follow-ups in terms of having increased risk of developing primary Sjögren’s syndrome.