A longitudinal study of lung impairment in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome.

Abstract

During the follow-up of these primary SS patients, respiratory symptoms did not change, the recurrent respiratory infection rate was low, and no cases of pulmonary hypertension or lymphoma was observed. The diffusion capacity decrease was associated with IgA CIC titers at presentation. This impairment could contribute to dyspnea during its evolution over a lifetime but is too slight to explain the dyspnea on exertion seen in most of our patients.