Prevalence of Sjogren's syndrome in ambulatory patients according to the American-European Consensus Group criteria

Effect of acupuncture on regulating IL-17, TNF-ɑ and AQPs in Sjögren's syndrome

AIM

The aim of the study was to observe the effect of acupuncture on regulating interleukin (IL)-17, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-ɑ, and aquaporins (AQPs) in Sjögren's syndrome (SS) on patients and on non-obese diabetic (NOD) models.

METHODS

Levels of anti-AQP 1, 5, 8, and 9 antibodies, IL-17, and TNF-ɑ in the serum of SS patients were compared prior and following 20 acupuncture treatment visits during 8 weeks. While in murine model, five groups were divided to receive interventions for 4 weeks, including control, model, acupuncture, isoflurane, and hydroxychloroquine. The submaxillofacial gland index, histology, immunohistochemistry of AQP1, 5, salivary flow, together with IL-17, and TNF-ɑ expression in peripheral blood were compared among the groups.

RESULTS

Acupuncture reduced IL-17, TNF-ɑ, and immunoglobin A levels, and numeric analog scale of dryness in 14 patients with SS (p < 0.05). The salivary flow was increased, and the water intake decreased in NOD mice receiving acupuncture treatments. IL-17 and TNF-ɑ levels in peripheral serum were down-regulated (p < 0.05) and AQP1, 5 expression in the submandibular glands up-regulated in mice.

CONCLUSION

The effect on relieving xerostomia with acupuncture may be achieved by up-regulating the expression of AQP1. AQP5, down-regulating levels of IL-17 and TNF-ɑ, and a decrease in inflammation of glands.

World Workshop on Oral Medicine VIII: Development of a Core Outcome Set for Dry Mouth: A Systematic Review of Outcome Domains for Xerostomia

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to identify all outcome domains used in clinical studies of xerostomia, that is, subjective sensation of dry mouth. This study is part of the extended project "World Workshop on Oral Medicine Outcomes Initiative for the Direction of Research" to develop a core outcome set for dry mouth.

STUDY DESIGN

A systematic review was performed on MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases. All clinical and observational studies that assessed xerostomia in human participants from 2001 to 2021 were included. Information on outcome domains was extracted and mapped to the Core Outcome Measures in Effectiveness Trials taxonomy. Corresponding outcome measures were summarized.

RESULTS

From a total of 34,922 records retrieved, 688 articles involving 122,151 persons with xerostomia were included. There were 16 unique outcome domains and 166 outcome measures extracted. None of these domains or measures were consistently used across all the studies. The severity of xerostomia and physical functioning were the 2 most frequently assessed domains.

CONCLUSION

There is considerable heterogeneity in outcome domains and measures reported in clinical studies of xerostomia. This highlights the need for harmonization of dry mouth assessment to enhance comparability across studies and facilitate the synthesis of robust evidence for managing patients with xerostomia.

Preliminary Screening Questionnaire for Sjögren's Syndrome in the Rheumatology Setting

OBJECTIVE

Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is frequently undetected or misdiagnosed as other rheumatologic diseases. We aimed to develop an SS screening questionnaire for the rheumatology practice.

METHODS

We developed the Sjögren's Syndrome Screening Questionnaire (SSSQ) via secondary analysis of data from 974 participants referred by rheumatologists to the Sjögren's International Collaborative Clinical Alliance (SICCA) study. Participants answered 88 questions regarding symptoms, medical history, and demographics. They underwent ocular, dental, and serologic tests and were classified as SS or non-SS using the 2016 American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism classification criteria. We conducted univariate and multivariate logistic regression to identify questions most discriminative of SS, from which we derived an individual's likelihood of SS ("SSSQ score").

RESULTS

Five questions were significantly discriminative of SS in the multivariate analysis (p < 0.05): (1) Can you eat a cracker without drinking a fluid/liquid? (no: odds ratio [OR], 1.39; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06-1.82]); (2) How would you describe your dental and oral health in general? (fair/poor: OR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.04-2.75); (3) During the last week, have you experienced tearing? (none of the time: OR, 2.26; 95% CI, 1.23-4.34); (4) Are you able to produce tears? (no: OR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.12-2.37); and (5) Do you currently smoke cigarettes? (no: OR, 2.83; 95% CI, 1.69-4.91). SSSQ score ≥7 (possible range, 0-11) distinguishes SS from non-SS patients with 64% sensitivity and 58% specificity (area under receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.65).

CONCLUSIONS

The SSSQ is a simple 5-item questionnaire designed to screen for SS in clinical practice, with a potential impact to reduce delays in diagnosis.

Early diagnosis and treatment for Sjögren's syndrome: current challenges, redefined disease stages and future prospects

There are some challenges and unmet needs in the early diagnosis and management of Sjögren's syndrome (SjS) such as prominent glandular dysfunction at diagnosis and long diagnostic delay. Those challenges are partly attributed to the lack of a good knowledge of the early stages of SjS, which is a major obstacle to delivering appropriate care to SjS patients. Findings from both clinical and experimental studies suggest the plausibility of a redefined SjS course consisting of 4 stages, which includes initiation stage, preclinical stage, asymptomatic SjS stage and overt SjS stage. More studies focusing on the pathological processes and changes during the early stages of SjS are needed. To enable early diagnosis and treatment for SjS, more useful biomarkers of the early stages of SjS need to be identified, and individuals at high risk of SjS development need to be identified. Appropriate screening can be performed to facilitate the early diagnosis of SjS among those high-risk individuals.

Anti-DNase I Antibody: A New Serological Reactivity in Primary Sjögren Syndrome

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Primary Sjögren syndrome (pSS) is a systemic autoimmune rheumatic disease that particularly affects exocrine glands. Dry eye is one of the most important features of this syndrome, and a recent study reported reduced deoxyribonuclease I (DNase I) activity in the tear of patients with dry eye. We therefore postulated that patients with pSS might have antibodies targeting DNAse I.

METHODS

We have evaluated in a cross-sectional study 85 patients with pSS (2002 American-European Consensus Group Criteria), 50 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients (1987 American College of Rheumatology Criteria) without sicca symptoms, and 88 healthy volunteers. IgG anti-DNase I was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using as antigen bovine pancreas enzyme and confirmed by immunoblotting.

RESULTS

Age and sex were alike in the 3 groups (p > 0.05). Anti-DNase I was detected in 43.5% of the pSS patients. In contrast, this reactivity was absent in all RA patients (p = 0.0001). Additional comparison of pSS patients with (n = 37) or without (n = 48) anti-DNase I showed that the former group had higher IgG serum levels (2293.2 ± 666.2 vs 1483.9 ± 384.6 mg/dL, p = 0.0001) and greater rate of non-drug-induced leukopenia (43% vs 19%, p = 0.02). A multivariate logistic regression analysis identified that only IgG levels were independently associated with anti-DNase I.

CONCLUSIONS

We describe a high frequency of anti-DNase I antibodies in pSS patients associated with higher serum IgG levels. The lack of this reactivity in RA patients without sicca symptoms suggests that this antibody may be helpful in the differential diagnosis of these diseases.

Prevalence and Demographic Characteristics of Sjögren's Syndrome in Colombia, Based on Information from the Official Ministry of Health Registry

OBJECTIVE

To calculate the prevalence and describe the main demographic characteristics of Sjögren's syndrome in adults in Colombia.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Descriptive cross-sectional study which utilized data from the Integral Information System of Social Protection of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Colombia during the years 2012 to 2016.

RESULTS

58,680 cases of Sjögren's syndrome were identified, with a prevalence in those over 18 years of age of 0.12%; 82% were women, with a female:male ratio of 4.6:1, with a higher prevalence in the age group of 65 to 69 years. The departments with the highest numbers of cases were Bogotá DC (24,885), Antioquia (9,040) and Valle del Cauca (5,277); however, the departments with the highest prevalences were Caldas (0.42%), Bogotá DC (0.32%) and Antioquia (0.14%).

CONCLUSIONS

We present demographic and epidemiological information on Sjögren's syndrome in Colombia. There are very few epidemiological studies of this disorder. However, a prevalence similar to that reported in countries of the region such as Brazil (0.17%) and Argentina (0.17%) was documented.

Diseases of the lips

Heath care providers should be comfortable with normal as well as pathologic findings in the lips, because the lips are highly visible and may display clinical manifestations of local, as well as systemic inflammatory, allergic, irritant, and neoplastic alterations. Fortunately, the lips are easily accessible. The evaluation should include a careful history and physical examination, including visual inspection, as well as palpation of the lips and an examination of associated cervical, submandibular, and submental nodes. Pathologic and microscopic studies, as well as a review of medications, allergies, and habits, may further highlight possible etiologies. Many lip conditions, including premalignant changes, are relatively easy to treat, when the abnormalities are detected early; however, advanced disease and malignancies are challenging for both the patient and clinician. Treatment should be focused on eliminating potential irritants or allergens and treatment of the primary dermatosis. In this paper we review physiologic variants as well as pathologic conditions of the lips.

Y RNA derived small RNAs in Sjögren's syndrome: Candidate biomarkers?

Anti-Ro and anti-La antibodies are important in pathogenesis and diagnosis of Sjögren's syndrome (SS). Ro60, Ro52 and La are RNA binding proteins of Y RNA, which were discovered more than three decades ago. Significance of Y RNA is not appreciated as much as Ro and La in SS. It can be hypothesised that 5'-YsRNA, short fragment derived from Y RNA may be recognized by TLR7 in pDC, which induces type I interferon signature in SS. New genomics tools, namely RNA seq, enables assay of 5'-YsRNA in blood. 5'-YsRNA has the potential to be a novel biomarker of SS.

Beta-2 Microglobulin in Whole Unstimulated Saliva Can Effectively Distinguish Between Sjögren's Syndrome and Non-Autoimmune Sicca Symptoms

Objectives

This study aims to describe salivary beta-2 microglobulin (sB2M) levels in our setting and to assess the performance of sB2M for the diagnosis of Sjögren's syndrome (SS).

Patients and methods

This cross-sectional, comparative study included 192 SS patients (2 males, 190 females; mean age 53.1 years; range 23 to 84 years) and 64 healthy controls (1 male, 63 females; mean age 46.9 years; range 21 to 82 years). Patients were divided into three groups as those with primary SS, secondary SS, and sicca non-Sjögren's syndrome (snSS). sB2M was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in whole unstimulated saliva (ng/mL). Differences in sB2M were evaluated using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Receiver operating curves were generated to determine the performance of sB2M for distinguishing between SS and non-autoimmune snSS groups, and between SS group and healthy controls.

Results

The primary SS and secondary SS groups had a significantly higher concentration of sB2M than the other two groups. There was no significant difference in the concentration of sB2M between primary SS and secondary SS groups, and neither between snSS group and healthy controls. The receiver operating curve analysis for distinguishing SS and snSS showed an area under the curve of 0.661 (95% confidence interval 0.590-0.728, p=0.0001) with an optimal cutoff value of 0.582 ng/mL. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 68.7%, 59.3%, 20.2%, and 92.7%, respectively. The reported prevalence of SS in Mexico was considered when calculating the last two values.

Conclusion

In our setting, sB2M effectively distinguished between SS patients and non-autoimmune sicca symptoms. Including sB2M in our conventional diagnostic arsenal may assist in the evaluation of patients in whom SS is suspected; however, further studies are needed to clarify this hypothesis.

Acupuncture for Primary Sjögren Syndrome (pSS) on symptomatic improvements: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background

Currently, feasible medical treatments are hitherto not satisfying to relieve pSS symptoms, which concerns numbers of clinical doctors. Acupuncture seems to be an alternative to treat pSS and conduces to good symptomatic results. However further research is necessary. This trial is to investigate the efficacy of acupuncture on improving the key symptoms of pSS, which are dryness, pain and fatigue (DPF).

Methods & Design

The study is designed as a randomized controlled trial of two arms with a single centre. We compare acupuncture with sham acupuncture on symptomatic improvements of pSS. A total of 120 pSS patients, aged at least 18, with DPF, will be randomly assigned to acupuncture or sham acupuncture groups, where they will have needle intervention for 8 weeks with 16 weeks of follow-up. Subjects will be assessed each time before interventions during the 8-week intervention, in week 8 after all interventions and in week 12, 16, 20 and 24 for follow-up with different measurements. The primary outcome are the proportions of subjects that have 30% or greater reduction in at least 2 out of 3 items of DPF in Numeric Analog Scale (NAS) scores (0 = the best, 10 = the severest), calculated between the baseline and the average scores of week 2 to 8. The secondary outcome are related to individual items of NAS scores, EULAR Sjögren’s Syndrome Patient Reported Index (ESSPRI), EULAR Sjögren’s Syndrome Disease Activity Index (ESSDAI), Schirmer test score and unstimulated salivary flow, serum Immunoglobulin G, A and M levels, Medical Outcome Study Short Form 36 Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), Salivary glands ultrasounds, Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale score. The secondary outcome scores are to be collected at baseline, in week 8, 16, and 24. Besides, individual items of NAS will also be collected in week 12 and 20. Moreover, subjects’ satisfaction and the proportion of the subjects who identified their allocation will also be measured and analyzed.

Discussion

This study will be the first randomized and controlled pilot trial of acupuncture on alleviating the symptoms of pSS with relatively long-term follow-up. The result of the study might offer a new option to treat pSS and might be a clinical proof that acupuncture has beneficial effects on pSS.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02691377 (February 20, 2016)

The Sustained Effects on Tear Volume of Pilocarpine Hydrochloride in Gelatin by Hydrogel Administered by An Implant-mediated Drug Delivery System

BACKGROUND

Pilocarpine hydrochloride is commonly prescribed to patients with dry mouth and eye using a frequent dosing schedule. The aim of this study was to evaluate the sustained effects of this highly soluble drug carried by a gelatin hydrogel, which was administered by an implant mediated drug delivery system (IMDDS).

METHODS

The IMDDS was installed in a total of 24 rabbits. After complete healing, pilocarpine hydrochloride was administered as 30 mg as raw powder (Group 1; n = 8), 30 mg in gelatin hydrogel (Group 2; n = 8), and 60 mg in gelatin hydrogel (Group 3; n = 8). The effects were evaluated by tear volume measured using the Schirmer tear test for 2 weeks after administration.

RESULTS

All 3 groups showed an increase in tear volume from the initial measurement at 1 hour. Group 1 exhibited this increase for 24 hours, while Groups 2 and 3 sustained this increase for 5 days and 7.5 days, respectively.

CONCLUSION

When provided in gelatin hydrogel, highly water-soluble pilocarpine hydrochloride administered through IMDDS resulted in sustained effects with increased tear volume in normal rabbits.

Aquaporin gene therapy corrects Sjögren's syndrome phenotype in mice

Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) is a chronic autoimmune disease that is estimated to affect 35 million people worldwide. Currently, no effective treatments exist for Sjögren's syndrome, and there is a limited understanding of the physiological mechanisms associated with xerostomia and hyposalivation. The present work revealed that aquaporin 5 expression, a water channel critical for salivary gland fluid secretion, is regulated by bone morphogenetic protein 6. Increased expression of this cytokine is strongly associated with the most common symptom of primary Sjögren's syndrome, the loss of salivary gland function. This finding led us to develop a therapy in the treatment of Sjögren's syndrome by increasing the water permeability of the gland to restore saliva flow. Our study demonstrates that the targeted increase of gland permeability not only resulted in the restoration of secretory gland function but also resolved the hallmark salivary gland inflammation and systemic inflammation associated with disease. Secretory function also increased in the lacrimal gland, suggesting this local therapy could treat the systemic symptoms associated with primary Sjögren's syndrome.

Sjögren's, Renal Tubular Acidosis And Osteomalacia - An Asian Indian Series

Objective:

To study the profile of Renal Tubular Acidosis (RTA) in Asian Indian patients with Primary Sjögren's Syndrome (pSS).

Methods:

The Electronic medical records of patients with a diagnosis of pSS seen between 2003 and 2010 at our tertiary care teaching hospital were screened for RTA. Clinical features, immunological profile, acid-base balance and electrolyte status, 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH) D3) levels, histopathological changes in minor salivary gland biopsy samples and radiological findings were retrieved. RTA was diagnosed in cases of hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis with urinary pH values higher than 5.5. Those with known features suggestive of RTA including hypokalemic paralysis, hyperchloremia and nephrocalcinosis without acidosis were defined as incomplete RTA.

Results:

Of the 380 patients with clinically suspected pSS, 25 had RTA. The median age was 32 (18-60) years. Nineteen patients had complete RTA. Six had incomplete RTA. Only 10 patients (40%) had symptoms related to RTA at presentation. Sixteen patients (64%) had present or past history of hypokalemic paralysis. Pseudofractures were seen in 7 patients and an additional 2 had subclinical radiological osteomalacia. Majority of the patients (61.2%) had a normal 25(OH) D3 level. Those with osteomalacia had significantly lower serum phosphate, blood ph and higher alkaline phosphatase. Serum calcium and 25(OH) D3 levels were not significantly different between patients with osteomalacia and those without.

Conclusion:

Most patients were asymptomatic for RTA inspite of clinically overt and elicitable features. Skeletal manifestation was a common finding in patients with Sjögren and RTA, despite normal levels of 25 (OH) D3 in a majority.

The role of parotidectomy in Sjögren's syndrome

Sjögren's syndrome, a chronic and progressive autoimmune disorder mainly characterized by xerophthalmia, xerostomia, and parotid enlargement, is primarily managed medically, but some patients will require surgical management. Patients with Sjögren's syndrome have an increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Superficial parotidectomy is indicated for diagnostic purposes and can be therapeutic in limited circumstances. Surgical indications for parotidectomy in Sjögren's syndrome include recurrent parotitis refractory to medical management; salivary gland malignancy; and severe, refractory pain. Surgical complications include transient or permanent facial nerve injury, post-operative pain, persistent inflammation of remnant parotid tissue, Frey syndrome, and facial scarring.

Ocular and systemic morbidity in a longitudinal cohort of Sjögren's syndrome

PURPOSE

To report vision-threatening ocular manifestations of primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS).

DESIGN

Retrospective review.

PARTICIPANTS

Consecutive patients evaluated at an SS center between January 2007 and May 2011.

METHODS

Data collection was completed in March 2013. The 2002 American-European consensus criteria were used for diagnosis of SS.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Frequency of extraglandular ocular findings and timing of their diagnosis relative to that of SS and dry eye were assessed.

RESULTS

One hundred sixty-three patients were included. Almost all patients (98%) had a history of dry eye for an average of 10.4 years (median, 7.9 years) before presentation. One or more extraglandular ocular manifestations were present in 40 patients (25%), and vision-threatening findings were present in 22 patients (13%). Twelve patients (55%) with a vision-threatening ocular finding did not have a diagnosis of SS at presentation. Sixty-eight patients (42%) had extraglandular systemic manifestations of SS. Patients with vision-threatening ocular findings were 3.9 times more likely to have systemic involvement (95% confidence interval, 1.4-11.0; P = 0.010). Peripheral neuropathy, interstitial nephritis, and vasculitis were more common in those with vision-threatening ocular findings compared with patients without (P < 0.05 for all).

CONCLUSIONS

These results from a tertiary referral-based cohort demonstrate that primary SS frequently is associated with ocular and systemic complications. Dry eye precedes these findings on average by 1 decade. Therefore, ophthalmologists should consider assessing for SS in patients with clinically significant dry eye.

Overlap connective tissue disease syndromes

Overlap Syndromes (OSs) have been defined as entities satisfying classification criteria of at least two connective tissue diseases (CTDs) occurring at the same or at different times in the same patient. CTDs include systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic sclerosis (SSc), polymyositis/dermatomyositis (PDM), and Sjögren syndrome (SS). Every combination between these disorders has been reported. In some OS a specific autoantibody has been indentified, supporting the hypothesis that these syndromes are not a mere association of two or more CTD in the same patient, but a well defined clinical entity with specific clinical characteristics. As an example, anti-t-RNA synthetase syndrome is characterized by the presence of anti-t-RNA synthetase antibodies. Notably, clinical manifestations observed in OS may be different from those observed in the single CTD. The treatment of OS is mainly based on the use of corticosteroids and immunosuppressants. Biologic drugs, i.e. anti-TNFα or anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies, have been recently introduced as alternative treatments in refractory cases. Moreover, there are some concerns with the use of anti-TNF agents in patients with systemic autoimmune diseases due to the risk of triggering disease exacerbations. In this paper the most frequent OS are described with a special focus on the specific immunologic and clinical aspects. Furthermore, some personal data on anti-t-RNA synthetase syndrome and rhupus syndrome are reported.

Ultrasonography of major salivary glands could be an alternative tool to sialoscintigraphy in the American-European classification criteria for primary Sjogren's syndrome

OBJECTIVE

To test the diagnostic accuracy of modified American-European classification criteria (AEC) for primary SS (pSS) by replacing sialoscintigraphy (sSC) with ultrasonography of the major salivary glands.

METHODS

One hundred and ninety subjects were evaluated for the diagnosis of pSS, including US of the salivary glands. We tested the diagnostic accuracy of the three different sets of five diagnostic criteria for pSS. Each set combined these four criteria (ocular symptoms, oral symptoms, Schirmer-I test and auto-SS-A antibody) and one of the following: US (US set), sSC (sSC set) or biopsy (Biopsy set). The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC-ROC) was used to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of each set of criteria.

RESULTS

Out of 190 subjects examined, 140 subjects fulfilled the AEC for the diagnosis of pSS, whereas 50 subjects were classified as non-pSS subjects. US score was positive in 129 (92%), sSC in 123 (88%) and biopsy in 93 (66%) of 140 pSS patients. Among 140 patients with pSS, 88 (63%) patients fulfilled the criteria of the US set, 85 (61%) patients of the sSC set and 71 (51%) patients of the Biopsy set. None of the subjects from the non-pSS group fulfilled any of the sets of criteria. Diagnostic accuracy of each of the three sets of criteria was high and similar [AUC-ROC (s.e.) for the US set was 0.99 (0.00), followed by the sSC set at 0.98 (0.00) and the Biopsy set at 0.97 (0.00)].

CONCLUSION

US finding of major salivary gland involvement could replace sSC in AEC for the diagnosis of pSS.

Similarities and differences between primary and secondary Sjögren's syndrome

OBJECTIVE

To define the clinical, serological, and histopathological characteristics of primary (pSS) and secondary Sjögren's syndrome (SS).

METHODS

Fifty subjects with pSS and 300 with connective tissue diseases (CTD; systemic lupus erythematosus 100, rheumatoid arthritis 100, scleroderma 100) were selected randomly from our patient registry. Selected patients were assessed for fulfillment of the American-European Consensus Group criteria for SS using a 3-phase approach: screening (European questionnaire, Schirmer-I test, wafer test), confirmatory (fluorescein staining test, nonstimulated whole salivary flow, anti-Ro/La antibodies), and lip biopsy (H&E and immunohistochemical staining for anti-CD20 and anti-CD45RO scored by morphometry).

RESULTS

All patients with pSS and 65 with CTD met criteria for SS. Oral symptoms (pSS = 92% and secondary SS = 84%; p = 0.02), parotid enlargement (pSS 56%, secondary SS 9.2%; p < 0.001), and higher prevalence (pSS 82%, secondary SS 41%; p < 0.001) and titers of anti-Ro/La antibodies were more common in pSS. Extraglandular manifestations were similar in both groups, except for Raynaud's phenomenon, which was more common in those with secondary SS (pSS 16% vs secondary SS 41%; p = 0.001). These results remained after 3 different sensitivity analyses. The prevalence of focal infiltration was also similar in both SS varieties; however, a higher B:T cell ratio and higher expression of CD20 cells (2922 vs 607.5 positive cells; p < 0.001) were observed in pSS.

CONCLUSION

A higher frequency of oral symptoms and parotid enlargement and stronger B cell activity (autoantibody production and lymphocyte infiltration) were observed in pSS. Whether these results reflect a true difference between the 2 disease entities or derive from underlying variables remains uncertain.

Prevalence of primary Sjogren's syndrome in Turkey: a population-based epidemiological study

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS) in a general Turkish population according to the latest proposed American-European Consensus Group (AECG) criteria and European-1 (EU-1) criteria.

METHODS

The study was conducted in two districts of Izmir and involved 2835 subjects 20 years of age and older. In the first stage, face-to-face interviews were performed at the registered households. In the second stage, subjects reporting symptoms of both dry eye and dry mouth were invited to the hospital for a full examination, which included Schirmer-1, sialometry and serologic tests. In the third stage, a minor salivary gland biopsy was performed as required.

RESULTS

A total of 2887 subjects were contacted and a complete interview was obtained for 2835 (1551 female, 1284 male) subjects. A total of 159 subjects (126 female, 33 male) confirmed oral and ocular dryness, and 86 of these patients (54.1%) underwent a detailed clinical examination in the hospital. pSS was diagnosed in 10 patients (nine females) according to the EU-1 criteria, and in six patients (six females) according to the AECG criteria. We found a minimum crude prevalence of 0.21% [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.03-0.29] in the sample population and an age-sex adjusted prevalence of 0.16% (95% CI: 0.06-0.35), according to AECG criteria. According to EU-1 criteria, these prevalence rates were found to be 0.35% (95% CI: 0.10-0.45) and 0.28% (95% CI: 0.13-0.51) respectively.

CONCLUSION

The pSS prevalence rates found in the Turkish population in this study were lower than the estimated prevalence rate in a general population.

Genes and Sjögren's syndrome

The evidence for a strong genetic component conferring susceptibility to primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is mounting. Several associations with SS have been reported and provide evidence that the HLA region harbors important susceptibility loci and that multiple genes outside the HLA region play a role. Genetic discovery lags behind success observed in related autoimmune diseases. Identifying genetic factors that cause SS will allow more precise definition of pathogenic mechanisms leading to the overall SS phenotype and clinically heterogeneous subsets of patients. Critical opportunities are certain to follow for translation into improved diagnosis and therapies for SS and its spectrum diseases.

Systematic review: The evidence base for long-term management of coeliac disease

BACKGROUND

While gluten-free diet is an effective treatment for coeliac disease, the need for and goals of long-term management of patients are poorly defined.

AIM

To review systematically the complications and associations of coeliac disease, to identify potential risk factors, to define ways of assessing risk factors and to provide a strategy for management.

METHODS

Review of medical literature from 1975.

RESULTS

There is an increasing list of potential complications and/or conditions associated with coeliac disease, in particular, autoimmune disease, malignancy and bone disease. Risk factors that may predict or influence long-term outcomes include genetic susceptibility, environmental factors predominantly gluten ingestion, persistent small intestinal inflammation/injury and nutritional deficiencies. Genotyping of patients is yet to have an established clinical role in long-term management. Assessment of adherence to the gluten-free diet largely relies upon skilled dietary history, but the ultimate test is duodenal histopathology, which is the only currently established means of assessing healing. Symptoms, serology or other non-invasive means are poor predictors of healing and the likelihood of complications.

CONCLUSION

Evidence (albeit limited) that adherence to a gluten-free diet and mucosal healing prevent and/or ameliorate complications indicates that a planned long-term strategy for follow-up is essential.

[Sjögren's syndrome. Current aspects from a rheumatological point of view]

Sjögren's syndrome is an autoimmune disease of the exocrine glands characterized by the leading symptoms of keratoconjunctivitis and stomatitis sicca based on a complex pathogenesis. The prevalence is about 0.5-1%; primary Sjögren's syndrome is differentiated from secondary Sjögren's syndrome associated with other autoimmune disorders. The diagnosis is established by the presence of subjective complaints and objective evidence of sicca symptoms, anti-Ro(SSA)/La(SSB) antibodies, and/or focal lymphocytic infiltration of the glandular tissue. In addition to the typical sicca symptomatology, which is managed symptomatically by substitution and stimulation therapy, some patients exhibit extraglandular manifestations. Complaints involving the musculoskeletal system and inner ear dominate and are treated by the rheumatologist. The indication for base therapy is tailored to individual needs, but the efficacy of this approach has not been established in studies. About 5-10% of the patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome develop a B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The disease requires interdisciplinary management including, among others, ophthalmologists, dentists, and otorhinolaryngologists, depending on the clinical picture.