SINDROME DE SJÖGREN EN ARTRITIS REUMATOIDEA

Abstract

The analysis of 250 patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis in relation with the frequency of Sjögren's syndrome, its clinical, ophtalmological and radiological characteristics is presented.

The study was conducted first to classify the Rheumatoid Arthritis; then to determine the presence of Sjögren's syndrome it has been recurred to ophtalmological study, parotid sialography and in some cases partotid gland, lacrimal gland or soft palate biopsies, finding 115 cases with this syndrome, 81 classical and 34 probable.

It has been observed that the ophtalmological examination and parotid sialography are of great value and usefulness to the study of patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Due to the low frequency of clinical symptomatology, we recommend for the study of Sjögren's syndrome the practice of the above mentionned tests.

The Sjögren's syndrome was more frequent in the severe cases of Rheumatoid Arthritis with an evolution longer than five years. We note as important data the strong relation between sialographs and ophtalmological changes; the parotid sialography being an innocuous method and without further complications.