Major salivary gland function in primary Sjögren's syndrome and its relationship to clinical features

Unstimulated and stimulated salivary secretions of both the parotid and submandibular/sublingual glands were studied in 64 patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome to define further salivary changes in this disorder. The stimulated flows of the submandibular/sublingual glands were below normal in 56 of 64 patients, while stimulated parotid flows were decreased in only 35. Compositional changes of the submandibular saliva paralleled changes of parotid saliva, and these data suggest that ductal electrolyte resorption is altered in the glands of patients. Finally, stimulated parotid flow rates correlated inversely with focus scores of the minor salivary gland biopsies.