The clinical picture of primary Sjogren's syndrome: A retrospective study

Abstract

The clinical and laboratory features of 47 patients with primary Sjogren's syndrome, confirmed by lip biopsy, were analyzed in this study. The majority of our patients had the classical signs and symptoms of Sjogren's syndrome at the time of diagnosis. An average of 8 years had elapsed, however, before the diagnosis was made. The progressive appearance of new signs and symptoms during the course of the disease and the predilection for premenopausal women were found to be characteristic. Extraglandular extension of the disease was most frequently manifested by renal involvement and vasculitis.