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Liver involvement in primary Sjögren's syndrome
F N Skopouli1, C Barbatis, H M Moutsopoulos
1Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Greece.
British Journal of Rheumatology
|August 1, 1994
Summary
Liver involvement in primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) is uncommon and often subclinical. Antimitochondrial antibodies (AMA) are the most sensitive indicator of liver pathology in pSS patients.
Area of Science:
- Rheumatology
- Hepatology
- Immunology
Background:
- Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) is a systemic autoimmune disease.
- Liver involvement can occur in pSS, but its prevalence and characteristics require further elucidation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence and nature of liver involvement in patients with pSS.
- To identify serological markers associated with liver pathology in pSS.
Main Methods:
- Clinical, biochemical, immunological, and histological data were analyzed in 300 pSS patients.
- Antimitochondrial antibodies (AMA) and antibodies to pyruvate dehydrogenase (a-PDH) were assessed.
- Liver biopsies were performed on AMA-positive patients.
Main Results:
- Seven percent of pSS patients exhibited evidence of liver disease, primarily subclinical or asymptomatic with elevated liver enzymes.
- Antimitochondrial antibodies (AMA) were detected in 6.6% of patients, and antibodies to pyruvate dehydrogenase (a-PDH) in 27%.
- Ninety-two percent of AMA-positive patients showed histological features of chronic cholangitis, resembling stage I primary biliary cirrhosis.
Conclusions:
- Liver involvement in pSS is rare and typically subclinical.
- Histological findings in affected pSS patients predominantly resemble stage I primary biliary cirrhosis.
- Antimitochondrial antibodies (AMA) serve as the most sensitive marker for detecting liver pathology in pSS.