Studies on the Sicca Syndrome in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Abstract

Secretion from the parotid and the lacrimal glands has been studied in two similar groups of 48 subjects, one consisting of RA patients, the other a control group. Sialometry and sialography has been performed as regards the parotid glands; the secretion of the lacrimal glands has been measured with Schirmer's test I and the occurrence of conjunctival and corneal epithelial defects stainable with Rose-Bengal has been studied.

It has been shown that lacrimal and parotid secretion was significantly reduced in the RA group as compared with the control group; that epithelial defects typical for KCS occurred significantly more often in the RA group; that parenchymal changes, sialodochiectasias, existed in the RA group but that sialodochiectasias were completely absent in the control group; that there was no significant co-variation in the RA group between lacrimal and salivary secretion or lacrimal secretion and sialodochiectasias; that criteria for Sjögren's syndrome were fulfilled by 15 subjects in the RA group. The results of the study indicate that Sjögren's syndrome is to be regarded as part of the RA complex.