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Published on: October 13, 2023
Disease phenotype and diagnostic delay in Saudi patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome: An exploratory
Mohammed A Omair1, Bashaer S AlQahtani1, Esam H AlHamad1
1From the Rheumatology Division (Omair), Pulmonary Division (AlHamad, Paramasivam) Department of Medicine, from the Department of Zoology (AlQahtani, Daghestani), College of Medicine, from the Department of Statistics and Operations Research, College of Sciences (Tashkandy), Central Laboratory (Othman), King Saud University; from the Rheumatology Division, Department of Medicine (AlShahrani), Diriyah General Hospital, Ministry of Health; from the Department of Clinical Science, College of Medicine (AlEnzi), Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; and from the Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine (Halwani), Sharjah Institute for Medical Research, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Objectives:
To describe primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) cohort in Saudi Arabiain view in of clinical/serological/histopathological phentotype, and, diagnostic delay.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study conducted between October 2018 and May 2019. Diagnostic delay was calculated from symptoms onset to clinical diagnosis. The European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) Sjögren's Syndrome Disease Activity Index (ESSDAI) and EULAR Sjogren's Syndrome Patient Reported Index (ESSPRI) were calculated.
Results:
Forty-one patients were included in the study. There were predominantly females (78%) with a mean (±SD) age of 58.76±12.7 and disease duration of 4.6±2.28 years. The mean diagnostic delay was 2.2±2.4 (range 1-11) years. Minor salivary gland biopsy was performed on 38 (92.7%) patients with a mean focus score of 2.3± 1.2 points. Interstitial lung disease and arthritis were the most common extra-glandular manifestations (EGM) affecting 27 (65.9%) patients for both. The mean ESSDAI was 9.95±7.73 and ESSPRI was 5.17±2.4.
Conclusion:
Saudi primary Sjogren's syndrome patients have a high prevalence of EGM predominantly arthritis and ILD. The diagnostic delay is variable in our cohort.
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