Salivary and serum beta2-microglobulin and gamma-glutamyl-transferase in patients with primary Sjögren syndrome and Sjögren syndrome secondary to systemic lupus erythematosus.
BACKGROUND
Sialochemistry has been proposed as a simple and useful tool for the diagnosis of Sjögren syndrome (SS). Although many changes have been detected in several constituents of saliva from patients with SS, none are individually sensitive or specific enough for diagnosing SS. The aim of this study was to assess the value of the combined determination of beta2-microglobulin (beta2m) and gamma-glutamyl-transferase (GGT) activity in serum and saliva as a diagnostic instrument for differentiating primary and secondary [to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)] SS patients from normal subjects.


METHODS
Nineteen primary SS (pSS) patients, 15 patients with SS secondary to SLE, and 25 SLE patients without SS were studied. Thirty healthy subjects were included in the study as control group.


RESULTS
By means of a mathematical model, (a) 84.1%, (b) 85.7%, and (c) 87.0% of patients were correctly classified as SS or normal when (a) salivary beta2m and GGT values, (b) serum beta2m and salivary GGT values, and (c) salivary beta2m and GGT along with serum beta2m values, respectively, were considered. To differentiate between pSS and sSS by means of the mathematical model, the combination of serum beta2m and salivary GGT values achieved that 81.8% of the patients were correctly classified.


CONCLUSIONS
Since sialochemistry is an easy, safe and reliable test, the combined determination of beta2m and GGT in saliva and serum was useful for differentiating SS patients from normal subjects, but not excessively good for differentiating pSS from sSS patients.
Castro
José
J
Services of Internal Medicine, Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital, Jefe de Servicio de Medicina Interna, Avda. Fuerzas Armadas, 2, 18014, Granada, Spain.
Jiménez-Alonso
Juan
J
Sabio
José Mario
JM
Rivera-Cívico
Francisco
F
Martín-Armada
María
M
Rodríguez
Miguel Angel
MA
Jáimez
Laura
L
Castillo
María Jesús
MJ
Sánchez-Román
Julio
J
D000465:Algorithms; D015415:Biomarkers; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000201:enzymology / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*
D015415:Biomarkers; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase