Sex differences in primary Sjögren's syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the clinical and serologic characteristics of 14 men compared to 28 women with primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS) and contrast these findings with studies evaluating sex differences in primary SS.


METHODS
Patient information was collected from patients seen at the National Institutes of Health Salivary Gland Dysfunction Clinic from 1987 to 1998. A total of 14 male patients were diagnosed with primary SS during this period. The control group consisted of 28 female patients matched according to focus score of the labial minor salivary gland biopsy.


RESULTS
Women had significantly higher antinuclear antibody titers and erythrocyte sedimentation rate than men. A significant sex difference was also noted in extraglandular manifestations, with more women reporting fatigue compared to men (68 vs 21%, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
This study indicates that women may have more positive serological findings than men and a higher prevalence of fatigue. No sex differences could be established with other extraglandular manifestations of SS.
Brennan
M T
MT
Gene Therapy and Therapeutics Branch, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Fox
P C
PC
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000378:metabolism; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D005221:Fatigue / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012698:Serologic Tests; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear