Salivary Flow Rates in Primary and Secondary Sjogren’s Syndrome

Objective: To compare whole unstimulated saliva(WUS) and paraffin stimulated whole saliva (WSS) rates in patients diagnosed with primary and secondary Sjogren’s Syndrome. 

Method: A total of 133 patients of the Oral medicine clinic were evaluated in this retrospective study.  WUS and WSS were compared in a group of patients diagnosed with primary Sjogren’s syndrome by the presence of positive serological markers (N= 91), SSA or SSB, or with a minor salivary gland biopsy of the lower lip, with a group of patients diagnosed with Sjogren’s syndrome secondary (n=42) to other autoimmune or connective tissue diseases (e.g. Rheumatoid Arthritis, Scleroderma, Systemic Lupus Erythromatosis).  Saliva was collected by the drooling method.  Data was analyzed using independent sample T-test, Levine’s test for variance.  

Result: The mean WUS salivary flow rate was  lower in the primary Sjogren’s ( .075 ± .15 ml/min) compared to secondary Sjogren’s syndrome (.096 ± 0.262 ml/min).  However, the stimulated saliva was higher in the primary Sjogren’s  (.80 ± .97 ml/min)  compared to (.767 ±.874 ml/min) in secondary Sjogren’s.  There was no statistical significance when these two groups were compared with each other with regards to WUS and WSS

Conclusion: The level of salivary hypofunction does not differ significantly in primary or secondary Sjogren’s syndrome.  Larger studies may indicate the differences in salivary gland destruction and salivary gland hypofunction in primary and secondary Sjogren’s syndrome.