Polyclonal B-cell activation is related to exocrine manifestations of primary Sjögren's syndrome

Twenty-four female and four male patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome were examined in order to evaluate possible correlations between the exocrine disease manifestations and polyclonal B-cell activation parameters. All patients were examined three times over a 4-month period and none of them received any systemic medical treatment. Van Bijsterveld scores were negatively correlated to unstimulated whole salivary flow rate (sialometry) values (P less than 0.01) and break-up times (BUT) (P less than 0.01), while unrelated to Schirmer-1 values. Unstimulated sialometry values were, in addition, positively correlated to Schirmer-1 values (P less than 0.01), while BUT were unrelated to Schirmer-1 and unstimulated sialometry values. P-IgG levels were positively correlated to van Bijsterveld scores (P less than 0.01) and negatively correlated to break-up times (P less than 0.05), while unrelated to unstimulated sialometry and Schirmer-1 values. P-IgG levels were furthermore positively correlated to levels of P-IgM (P less than 0.05), P-IgA (P less than 0.05), serum IgM-RF (P less than 0.001) and serum ANA (P less than 0.01). Levels of P-IgM-RF were positively correlated to van Bijsterveld scores (P less than 0.01), but to none of the other exocrine manifestations. We conclude that the plasma levels of B-cell products seem to correlate positively with the degree of ocular involvement in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome, indicating a relationship between the immunoinflammatory processes and the mucosal damage.