[Recent advances in diagnosis of Sjogren's syndrome]

In this paper the authors review the classification and the clinical features of primary and secondary Sjogren's syndrome. Particular attention in focused on differential diagnosis, on clinical examination of the patients with chronic xerostomia and on its functional and pathological sequelae: rampant dental caries and oral candidiasis. Advanced in diagnostic procedures are described: salivary flow rate, salivary gland scintigraphy, parotid and submandibular scialography, Schirmer's test, Rose Bengal staining, minor salivary gland biopsy and serum immunological examinations. The relationships between scintigraphic and histologic result are discussed. The clinical features and the course of the disease provide further insight into the immunological pathogenesis of this syndrome.