title: Periodontal disease and sjogren syndrome: a possible correlation?
abstract: Sjögren syndrome (SS) is a chronic autoimmune rheumatic disease characterized by a progressive lymphocytic infiltration of exocrine glands, especially salivary and lachrymal ones, leading to xerostomia, parotid gland enlargement, and xerophthalmia. The aim of this study is to describe the capillaroscopic pattern of the interdental papilla in patients with SS and to evaluate a possible correlation with periodontal disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 25 patients affected by SS and 25 healthy controls were examined. The patients with conditions that compromise microcirculation, such as diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, or some pharmacological treatments, were not included in the study. All the patients were nonsmokers. Periodontal capillaroscopy has been used to investigate the features of microcirculation. Visibility, course, tortuosity, as well as the possible presence of microhemorrhage, the average caliber of the capillary loops, and the number of visible capillary loops per square millimeter were evaluated for each patient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results show evident alterations to the capillaries and a typical conformation of the interdental papilla microcirculation in patients with SS; it was possible to observe a reduced caliber of capillaries, as well as a greater number and tortuosity of capillary loops.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that capillary alterations to patients with SS occur in gingival microcirculation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Sciences, University of Palermo, Italy. scardina@odonto.unipa.it
authors.forename: Giuseppe Alessandro
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Scardina
authors.forename: Alessia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruggieri
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Messina
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002196:Capillaries / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005881:Gingiva / Q000098:blood supply; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation; D020678:Microscopic Angioscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology