Abstract
R060
Problem: Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is a chronic autoimmune disease, characterized by a progressive lymphocytic and plasma cell infiltration of the exocrine glands, particularly of the salivary and lacrimal glands. The progression of the disease leads to the decrease of the glandular function and consequently to the development of xerostomia and kerato-conjunctivitis sicca. SS may occur alone (primary) or in association with another autoimmune disease (secondary) such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, polymyositis, and scleroderma.
Methods: The goal of this study was to assess the clinical and histopathological characteristics of the oral component of SS in patients assisted at the Stomatology Division of the Otorhino-laryngology and Head and Neck Surgery Department of Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Brazil. Twenty-four adult female patients were enrolled in the study and classified according to the European Criteria for Sjögren's Syndrome. All patients were submitted to a detailed oral evaluation, and the oral signs and symptoms were correlated to the focal sialadenitis present in the labial salivary gland biopsy.
Results: The patients were predominantly of white ethnicity (79.1%) in their sixth decade of life. Xerostomia was the most relevant oral symptom, present in 79.1% of patients. We found a positive correlation between the enlargement of the major salivary gland and the decrease or thickening of saliva during the oral examination and a higher number of lymphop-lasmocitary foci / 4 mm24 mm2.
Conclusion: Although the oral symptoms, chronic and/or recurrent salivary gland enlargement, and oral mucosa dryness are strongly suggestive of SS, they cannot be considered the only oral criteria for the diagnosis of this syndrome. Lymphoplasmocitary infiltration of the minor salivary gland was found even in patients without oral symptoms, corroborating the importance of the minor salivary gland biopsy as part of the SS diagnosis.
Significance: This study provides a better understanding of the oral characteristics of Sjögren's Syndrome, and the importance of proper criteria use for its clinical diagnosis.
Support: None reported.