MINOR SALIVARY-GLAND BIOPSIES IN PATIENTS INVESTIGATED FOR PRIMARY SJOGRENS-SYNDROME - A REVIEW OF 187 PATIENTS

Objective. To correlate presenting features and indication for biopsy with results in patients undergoing minor salivary gland biopsy for th e diagnosis of primary Sjogren's syndrome (SS). Methods. The charts of 187 patients undergoing minor salivary gland biopsy for primary SS ov er a 9-year period were reviewed. Results. 76 patients had a focus sco re > 1, 111 had a focus score less-than-or-equal-to 1. No difference b etween the 2 groups was noted in most features, including frequency of symptomatic dry eyes or mouth, or Schirmer test results. Patients wit h focus score > 1 had significant increases in frequency of salivary g land swelling (25 vs 9%), antinuclear antibodies > 1: 100 (68 vs 32%), rheumatoid factor > 1: 160 (63 vs 22%), anti-SSA (46 vs 9%), anti-SSB (32 vs 4%), or any serologic marker (87 vs 46%). Abnormal biopsies we re more frequent in those biopsied for serologic abnormalities (53%) t han for sicca symptoms (33%) or systemic illness (29%). Conclusion. Se rologic markers are better predictors of results than clinical feature s in patients undergoing minor salivary gland biopsy for primary SS. T he frequency of a positive biopsy is increased in patients in whom une xplained serologic markers are being evaluated.