[Primary Sjögren's syndrome. A longitudinal study of 68 patients]

Recenti Prog Med. 2001 Dec;92(12):741-6.
[Article in Italian]

Abstract

There are only few studies, regarding primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) long-term clinical course. Moreover, it has been often studied in a restricted number of patients, employing different recruitment and diagnostic criteria. During a 10 years follow-up, we longitudinally evaluate clinical course as well as severe complications and mortality rates in 68 patients with pSS, diagnosed according to the Fox's criteria. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to the autoantibodies pattern detected at the diagnosis: anti-Ro and/or La positive and anti-Ro La negative. Glandular manifestations of pSS were distinctively present in the majority of patients already at time of the diagnosis and serological findings remained typically constant during the whole follow-up. Increased IgG, IgA and ESR as well as low C4 serum levels were significantly prevalent in the Ro and/or La positive group. Finally, we did not found any significant increase in the mortality rate of pSS patients in comparison with the general population.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Autoantibodies / analysis
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Sjogren's Syndrome* / diagnosis
  • Sjogren's Syndrome* / immunology
  • Sjogren's Syndrome* / mortality
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Autoantibodies