Salivary immunoglobulin determinations: their diagnostic value in Sjögren's syndrome

Salivary immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG, IgM) determinations are performed on 74 patients with and without Sjögren's syndrome (SS). In normal subjects IgA is the only immunoglobulin detected in saliva by classical immunodiffusion methods. Correlations between the presence of IgG and/or IgM in saliva and other functional and objective clinical parameters and hsitological aspects of minor salivary glands are studied. In SS the prescence of IgG and/or IgM is in close relationship with "sialography index" which is the most reliable clinical investigation. These results point out that salivary immunoglobulins determinations constitute a simple and specific complementary test for SS diagnosis; they may allow the clinicians to observe the progress of the disease or to evaluate effectiveness of drugs.