Prevalence of sicca symptoms and Sjögren’s syndrome in coeliac patients and healthy controls

Abstract

Objective: There has been no previous study comparing the frequency of sicca symptoms and Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) in coeliac patients (CPs) and healthy controls (HCs) using a tight screening method. The aim of this study was to compare the frequency of sicca symptoms and SS in HCs and CPs.

Method: The study included 80 CPs and 100 HCs. This study was designed as a case–control study with four phases. The frequency of SS in CPs and HCs was defined according to the 2002 American–European Consensus Group (AECG) and 2012 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) classification criteria. The frequency of sicca symptoms and SS was compared between CPs and HCs.

Results: Ocular and oral symptoms occurred in 22% and 26% of CPs, respectively, compared to 13% and 10% of HCs, respectively. Proportions with oral symptoms were statistically significantly different between CPs and HCs (p = 0.005), whereas there was no significant difference for ocular symptoms (p = 0.113). According to ACR and AECG criteria, the prevalence of SS was 3.8% and 5.0% in CPs and 3.0% and 2.0% in HCs, respectively.

Conclusion: Although oral symptoms were more frequent in CPs than in HCs, the frequency of SS was not different between the groups. The increased frequency of oral symptoms may be related to reasons other than autoimmunity.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.