Features of Sjögren's Syndrome in Primary Biliary Cirrhosis

Abstract

The sicca components of Sjögren's syndrome were investigated in 14 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis with a battery of tests that included Schirmer's test; rose bengal staining; parotid secretory sialography; scintillation scanning of salivary glands with 99mTc; radioactive counts in saliva at 15 and 60 minutes after intravenous injection of the same radionuclide, as an index of salivary gland function; and histologic study of minor salivary gland specimens obtained by lip biopsy. Abnormalities of lacrimal or salivary glands were detected by two or more tests in all patients. Presence or degree of sicca components of Sjögren's syndrome did not correlate with the duration or the degree of liver disease, the presence of autoantibodies, or the levels of immunoglobulins. Our findings indicate that primary biliary cirrhosis is a systemic disease and support the possibility that its pathogenesis is autoimmune.