New criteria for diagnosing Sjogren's syndrome: a step forward? - or ...

Primary Sjogren's syndrome seems to be the most common of the chronic syste mic inflammatory connective tissue diseases, according to epidemiological i nvestigations. Basic and clinical research, including treatment within this group, is increasing while simultaneously there is increasing confusion an d uncertainty about the classification criteria for Sjogren's syndrome. Wit hin the last three decades nine different classification criteria sets have been introduced including the recent US-European classification criteria s et. The diagnostic criteria used in daily practice seem to differ even more and many forget that the function of both the lachrymal glands and the salivar y glands should be diminished. Consequently many rheumatologists prefer to diagnose patients according to classification criteria. The advantages and disadvantages of the various classification criteria for primary Sjogren's syndrome are dealt with but it is stressed that the majority of these will exclude former/present smokers (from the diagnoses) more than half of the p opulation!.