title: The point prevalence of clinically relevant primary Sjögren's syndrome in two Norwegian counties.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Primary Sjögren's syndrome (PSS) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease characterized by exocrine gland inflammation producing clinical symptoms such as dryness of the mouth and eyes. The reported prevalence of PSS is variable, probably because of different classification criteria used and selection bias. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of PSS in a well-defined Norwegian Caucasian population using the revised American-European Consensus Group (AECG) criteria.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hospitals and three private rheumatology practices provide all of the rheumatology services to the local population in Hordaland and Rogaland counties, which included 852 342 Caucasian inhabitants as of 1 January 2009. Patients on file fulfilling the new revised AECG criteria for PSS were included, and patients with incomplete data were invited to a screening visit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 424 PSS patients were identified. Their mean age was 61.6 ± 13.2 years; 28 (7%) were men and 396 (93%) were women. The point estimate for the proportion of PSS was 0.050% [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.048-0.052].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of PSS in this Norwegian population of Caucasians is lower than previously reported when less stringent criteria for identifying PSS were used, but is in line with more recent studies using the same criteria and methods as in this study.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Immunology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Stavanger University Hospital, POB 8100, N-4068 Stavanger, Norway. gola@sus.no
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Gøransson
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Haldorsen
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Brun
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Harboe
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Jonsson
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Skarstein
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Time
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Omdal
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology