The evaluation of lung involvement and functional capacities in patients diagnosed with primary Sjogren's syndrome

Sjögren syndrome (SS) is a chronic, systemic, inflammatory disease characterised with lymphocytic infiltration of the exocrine glands, frequently manifested by dryness in the region affected. Although the most common extraglandular involvement in SS is pulmonary involvement. Early diagnosis and treatment is considered to be important. It was aimed to evaluate the frequency of early lung involvement, high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) findings and data of pulmonary function test (PFT) in SS in this study.

Thirty-five patients diagnosed with SS and referred by the Department of Rheumatology to determine potential lung involvement to the eighth chest diseases outpatient clinic of our hospital between September 2015 and December 2018 were included in this study. Respiratory signs, demographic features, length of disease and treatment regimens, PFT, data of 6-minute walk test and findings of HRCT of the patients were retrospectively obtained from hospital information system and patient files.

The mean age of the patients was 54.4 ± 9.2. The majority of the patients were women (94.3%). When the HRCT findings were evaluated, 28 (80%) patients had CT findings, while 7 (20%) patients had no CT findings. The most common HRCT findings found in patients were peribronchial thickening (48.6%), ground glass appearance (28.6%) and prominence in interstitial scars.

We think that the evaluation of HRCT and PFTs in patients diagnosed with SS for assessing early pulmonary involvement will be guiding in terms of follow-up and treatment.