TY - JOUR T1 - Mixed airway and pulmonary parenchymal disease in patients with primary Sjögren’s Syndrome - a six-year follow-up JF - The Journal of Rheumatology JO - J Rheumatol DO - 10.3899/jrheum.200247 SP - jrheum.200247 AU - Anna Matilda Nilsson AU - H. Laura Aaltonen AU - Peter Olsson AU - Hans Lennart Persson AU - Roger Hesselstrand AU - Elke Theander AU - Per Wollmer AU - Thomas Mandl Y1 - 2020/06/15 UR - http://www.jrheum.org/content/early/2020/06/09/jrheum.200247.abstract N2 - Objective To assess pulmonary function and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) development over time in patients with primary Sjögren’s Syndrome (pSS) and the association between pulmonary function, radiographic findings, respiratory symptoms and clinical features of pSS, taking cigarette consumption into account. Methods Forty patients with pSS (mean age 66 yrs, range 42–81 yrs, 39 women), previously participating in a cross-sectional study on pulmonary involvement in pSS, were re-assessed by pulmonary function tests after a mean follow-up time of six years. At follow-up, patients were also assessed by high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) of the chest and for pSS disease activity, respiratory symptoms and cigarette consumption. Results Patients with pSS showed significantly decreased percentages of predicted total lung capacity (TLC), residual volume (RV), RV/ TLC ratio and diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide (DL,CO), and an increased percentage of predicted forced expiratory volume in one second/vital capacity (FEV1/VC) ratio from baseline to follow-up. The proportion of COPD did not change significantly from baseline to follow-up (38% vs. 40%). Radiographic signs of bronchial involvement and interstitial lung disease were found in 38% of the patients, respectively. Conclusion Both airway and pulmonary parenchymal disease were commonly found in pSS patients, with a co-existence of both an obstructive and a restrictive pulmonary function pattern, where the latter tended to deteriorate over time. COPD was still a common finding. Airway and pulmonary involvement may be underdiagnosed in pSS, why special attention to clinical assessment of pulmonary involvement in pSS patients is mandated. ER -