Focal sialadenitis in patients with early synovitis.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the frequency of sialadenitis on lip biopsy in patients with synovitis of recent onset (ES), and see how sialadenitis relates to clinical and laborator findings of ES.


METHODS
Joint involvement, laboratory measures and biopsies of the minor salivary glands were evaluated in 10 ES patients. Diagnosis at a one-year follow-up exam was noted.


RESULTS
Six ES patients (60%) had a positive lip biopsy (mononuclear cell focus score greater than 1). ES patients with a positive lip biopsy presented with oligoarthritis, while ES patients with a negative lip biopsy had a more polyarticular presentation. No differences in laboratory measures between patients with a positive and negative lip biopsy were present. Seven ES patients had a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis and three had undifferentiated arthritis at the end of one year.


CONCLUSIONS
ES patients had a higher than expected frequency offocal sialadenitis.
Brennan
M T
MT
Clinical Research Core, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. mbrennan@carolinashealthcare.org
Pillemer
S R
SR
Goldbach-Mansky
R
R
El-Gabalawy
H
H
Schumacher
H R
HR
Fox
P C
PC
D000328:Adult; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000473:pathology; D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012470:Salivary Glands, Minor / Q000473:pathology; D012793:Sialadenitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000473:pathology; D013585:Synovitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology