[Subclinical Sjögren's syndrome].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate various manifestations and treatment of subclinical Sjögren's syndrome (SS).


METHODS
A long term clinical, laboratory and sialographic observations were performed in 24 patients with subclinical SS. Injectin of thymosin intramusularly was used to treat the patients and clinical effect of this treatment was evaluated.


RESULTS
All of 24 cases had experienced recurrent parotid swellings (RPS) for 2-17 years (mean 7 years) before dry mouth and dry eyes occurred and all of them were misdiagnosed as chronic suppurative parotitis or sialadenitis. Follow-up showed that all of these patients developed SS. Vasculitis was found in 8 cases, purpura in 2 cases. The vascular involvement was relatively common in subclinical SS. Main sialographic findings was sialectasis of terminal ducts with irregular dilation of main duct. Frequency of RPS was markedly decreased in the patients treated with thymosin.


CONCLUSIONS
The proposal of subclinical SS has theoretical value for understanding the entity and reclassification of chronic suppurative parotitis, and has guide value for diagnosis and treatment of SS in the early stage. Injection of thymosin is considered an effective therapy to reduce RPS in subclinical SS.
Wang
S
S
Beijing Hospital for Stomatology, Capital University of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100050.
Zhu
X
X
Zou
Z
Z
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D013947:Thymosin / Q000627:therapeutic use
D013947:Thymosin