title: Frequent development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in primary SS--results of a longitudinal follow-up.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the longitudinal development of pulmonary function in patients with primary SS (pSS) and its association with respiratory symptoms, pulmonary radiographic findings and clinical features of pSS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-one pSS patients, previously evaluated by pulmonary function tests (PFTs), were included in the study. The patients were studied at baseline and follow-up by PFT and at follow-up also by high-resolution CT scan of the lungs, the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire and by inflammatory and serological tests. The PFT results were compared with previously studied population-based controls, standardizing results with regard to gender, age, height, weight and tobacco consumption.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean follow-up time was 11 years. The pSS patients displayed signs of both obstructive and restrictive lung disease at baseline and at follow-up, and deteriorated in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV(1)), ratio of FEV(1) to vital capacity and in diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide during follow-up. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was diagnosed in 37% of the pSS patients at follow-up. In pSS patients, respiratory symptoms and radiographic abnormalities were common, although with a poor association with PFT variables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The pSS patients showed signs of both obstructive and restrictive pulmonary disease and COPD commonly developed during follow-up. Respiratory symptoms and radiographic abnormalities were common but poorly associated with PFT in pSS patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Entrance 25, 2nd floor, Skåne University Hospital, S-205 02 Malmö, Sweden. thomas.mandl@med.lu.se
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mandl
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Diaz
authors.forename: Olle
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ekberg
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hesselstrand
authors.forename: Eeva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Piitulainen
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wollmer
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Theander
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires