Allergic disorders in primary Sjögren's syndrome

Allergic disorders have been described in a variety of connective tissue disorders. Although an association between allergy and primary Sjögren's syndrome has been suggested, it has not been well documented. The purpose of this study was to analyze the prevalence of several types of allergic disorders in a cohort of primary Sjögren's syndrome patients. The presence of an allergic disorder was evaluated by a specific questionnaire in 65 randomly selected primary Sjögren's syndrome patients and was compared to control groups of 67 rheumatoid arthritis patients, 53 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and sicca symptoms, and 31 patients with osteoarthritis. At least one type of allergic manifestation was reported by 42 of the 65 Sjögren's syndrome patients (65%). This rate was significantly higher than each of the three control groups (p < 0.01). Only drug allergy and skin contact allergy were found to be more prevalent in Sjögren's syndrome patients than in the control groups (p< 0.05). Allergic reactions were more common in Sjögren's syndrome patients who were anti-Ro positive (p < 0.05). As drug and skin contact allergies are a frequent finding in Sjögren's syndrome patients, obtaining a careful history is needed before prescribing drugs in these patients.