[Frequency of systemic manifestations in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome in Argentina]

Abstract

Twenty to 71% of patients with Sjögren's syndrome (SS) will develop systemic manifestations.

Objective: To characterize the clinical-serological presentation and the frequency of systemic manifestations in patients with primary SS.

Methods: Retrospective study including patients with SS visited in "Hospital Británico de Buenos Aires" during the period from January 2000 to August 2008.

Results: Forty-one patients fulfilled the 2002 American-European classification criteria for SS. All patients were women. Mean age at enrollment was 57.85 ± 12.42 years (range 26-79). Mean duration of the disease was 9.28 years (range 0.08-24). Thirty-three (80.49%) developed systemic manifestations. The most frequent were arthritis, cutaneous vasculitis and polyneuropathy. This group featured more frequently ANA titles ≥ 1/640 and hypocomplementemia; although no statistical significance was found. The frequency of systemic manifestations found was greater than reported in the literature.

Conclusions: A multidisciplinary approach focusing also on systemic manifestations should be the new standard for management of SS.