Sex Differences in Diagnostic Criteria for Primary Sjogren's Syndrome

Abstract

Abstract: : Purpose: To compare the sex differences in diagnostic signs and symptoms of primary Sjogren's Syndorme (SS) patients. Methods: A retrospective chart review was carried out on all patients seen in the Sjogren's syndrome clinic since 1994. Those patients who met the latest criteria for primary SS were included. Parameters collected included: serum presence of anti–Ro and anti–La, severity of dry eye symptoms, Schirmer scores, rose bengal staining scores, inclusion criterion for dry eye and severity of dry mouth symptoms, salivary flow score, inclusion criterion for dry mouth, salivary gland histology scores and inclusion criterion for histology scores. Comparisons of continuous parameters (such as severity scores) were made using a series of 2–sample t–tests and categorical parameters were tested using Chi–squared tests.When sample sizes were small, Fisher's exact test was used. Results: 170 females and 15 males were inlcuded in the study. There were no sex differences in serum autoantibodies and symptom scores for dry eye or dry mouth. There were no sex differences in ocular dryness scores. There were differences in the dry mouth test results. A significantly higher proportion of females tested positive for salivary flow than men (p=0.0227). Females SS patients had significantly higher salivary gland biopsy scores than the male patients. (p=0.02) Conclusions: In this clinical population there were no sex differences in the presence of serum autoantibodies and dry eye signs or symptoms. Female SS patients had drier mouths and higher salivary gland biopsy scores.

Keywords: lacrimal gland • autoimmune disease • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: natural history