Comparison of Effect on Sicca Symptoms of Anticentromere Antibody–positive Sjögren Syndrome and Primary Sjögren Syndrome Alone

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Figure 1.
Flowchart for patient enrollment. AECG: American-European Consensus Group; SS: Sjögren syndrome; pSS: primary SS; ACA: anticentromere antibody.

Table 1.

Comparison between ACA+ SS and ACA–SS.

	ACA+ SS, n = 26	ACA–SS, n = 420	p
Demographics
Age, yrs, mean ± SD	55.7 ± 10.5	53.2 ± 13.4	NS
Sex
Male	0	39	NS
Female	26	381	NS
Clinical differences
Prevalence of RP (%)	88	28	< 0.001
Serological markers
Prevalence of positive Ro/La antibodies (%)	35	77	< 0.001
Prevalence of elevated serum IgG (%)	24	57	< 0.001
Average levels of serum IgG, gm/l	12.4	19.4	< 0.001
Xerophthalmia
Prevalence of xerophthalmia (%)	96	96	NS
Severity of xerophthalmia (on VAS, max 10)	7 ± 2.4	6.4 ± 2.6	NS
Average van Bijsterveld score	5.7 ± 2.2	5.6 ± 2.3	NS
Schirmer-I test, mm/5 min	3.2 ± 1.8	4.2 ± 4.4	< 0.05
Duration, yrs, range	5.4 (0–20)	7.5 (0–50)	NS
Xerostomia
Prevalence of xerostomia (%)	100	98	NS
Severity of xerostomia (on VAS, max 10)	8.5 ± 1.4	6.7 ± 2.4	< 0.001
USSF, ml/15 min	0.1	0.4	< 0.001
Duration, yrs, range	5.8 (0–22)	6.8 (0–45)	NS
Salivary gland biopsy
Focus score ≥ 1 (%)	92	84	< 0.001
Average focus score	5.5 ± 4.3	4.0 ± 3.3	NS
Average fibrosis score (out of 3)	1.0 ± 0.82	1.1 ± 0.68	NS

Normal serum IgG levels are 7–16 g/l in healthy patients. Rose bengal test evaluates ocular surface epithelial damage (out of 9). Schirmer-I test measures lacrimal gland production. Normal USSF ≥ 1.5 mm/15 min. Salivary gland biopsy positive result: ≥ 1 focus per 4 mm². SS: Sjögren syndrome; ACA: anticentromere antibodies; NS: not significant; RP: Raynaud phenomenon; VAS: visual analog scale; USSF: unstimulated whole salivary flow.