Natural developing process of immunoglobulin G4-related sialadenitis after submandibular gland excision: a...

This study aimed to evaluate the long-term outcome and quality of life of IgG4-related sialadenitis (IgG4-RS) patients after submandibular gland (SMG) excision without immunomediate therapy.

This retrospective review included patients with IgG4-RS who did not undergo further treatment following SMG excision. All patients diagnosed with IgG4-RS between January 1955 and December 2012 at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Peking University School of Stomatology, were enrolled. The main outcome measures included postoperative IgG4-RS progression rate and differences between patients with and without recurrent disease. The degree of subjective oral dryness was evaluated using the summated xerostomia inventory (SXI); the objective secretory function was assessed by whole saliva flow rate measurements. Serological findings were analyzed during the follow-up.

SMG excision was adopted in all of the 83 patients. The median follow-up period was 108 (range 7-396) months. Clinical progression was observed in 54.2% of cases. Patients with other organ involvement (OOI) indicated higher progression rate to a significant extent (P = 0.015, HR = 2.108). The annual progression rate was 20.7% in the group with OOI and was 14.1% in the group without OOI. All cases showed higher levels of serum IgG4; the level was in positive correlation with follow-up time when no therapy was added. 82.4% of cases experienced xerostomia after the surgery, and the degree of dry mouth in patients underwent bilateral resection was significantly more severe than those in unilateral resection.

Surgical excision of involved SMG cannot control the disease progression, which is not recommended for treatment of IgG4-RS. Differential diagnosis is crucial in order to prevent irreversible organ loss and relevant salivary gland dysfunction. Key Points • Surgical excision of involved SMG cannot control progression of IgG4-RS.