Results of minor salivary gland biopsies, and of Schirmer's and salivary secretion tests
|
RA (n=25) N (%) | MCTD (n=19) N (%) |
AS (n=19) N (%) |
SpA (n=22) N (%) | p Value between groups2-150 | Post hoc testing | |
| Focal sialadenitis | 20 (80) | 17 (94)2-152 | 11 (58) | 9 (41) | 0.001 | RA>SpA, MCTD>AS, MCTD>SpA |
| Decreased salivary secretion2-151 | 3 (12) | 11 (61) | 4 (22) | 0 (0) | <0.001 | RA<MCTD, MCTD>SpA |
| Oral symptoms | 11 (44) | 14 (74) | 8 (42) | 3 (14) | 0.002 | MCTD>SpA |
| Decreased tear secretion2-153 | 11 (44) | 13 (87) | 6 (32) | 3 (15) | 0.021 | MCTD>SpA |
| Ocular symptoms | 13 (52) | 12 (63) | 10 (53) | 10 (45) | 0.73 | |
| Patients with Sjögren's syndrome2-154 | 7 (28) | 11 (73) | 5 (26) | 3 (15) | 0.021 | RA<MCTD, MCTD>AS, MCTD>SpA |
↵2-150 χ2 test.
↵2-151 Either unstimulated or stimulated salivary excretion abnormal. Not studied in four patients with MCTD, two with SpA, and one with AS.
↵2-152 One minor salivary gland biopsy sample was not representative and was therefore excluded.
↵2-153 Not studied in four patients with MCTD and two with SpA.
↵2-154 Fullfilling the European criteria for secondary Sjögren's syndrome.5
RA = Rheumatoid arthritis; MCTD = mixed connective tissue disease; AS = ankylosing spondylitis; SpA = spondyloarthropathy.