[Systematic screening for Sjögren's syndrome in patients with various blood diseases]

A Sjögren's syndrom was looked for systematically in 154 hematological patients, half of them with lymphoproliferative disorders, by means of three current diagnosis methods: the Schirmer's test, the tear lysozyme assay, and the salivary immunoglobulin assay. These tests, poorly specific, are frequently abnormal, but the coexistence of the three abnormalities in the same patient makes the diagnosis highly probable. This corresponded to 4 patients. Taking into account the other diagnostic methods, the diagnosis was considered as possible or probable in 7 patients, and certain in 3 of them. This rate of 2% is discussed but the frequency of latent Sjögren's syndrome in hematologic patients and mainly in lymphoproliferative disease cannot be considered as high.