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Table 4 Comparison of the demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of patients with primary Sjögren’s Syndrome (pSS) according to age

From: Clinical and laboratory evaluation of sicca complaints: distinctive aspects of primary, secondary and non-Sjogren syndrome

Variables

pSS < 35 years

pSS 35–64 years

pSS ≥ 65 years

p value

Sex ratio (F:M)

 N = 20, 131 and 47

19:1

32:1

14:1

0.299

DES (AECG criteria)

 N = 20, 131 and 47

  % of positivity

88

95

100

0.090

DMS (AECG criteria)

 N = 20, 131 and 46

  % of positivity

89

97

100

0.008*

ESSDAI > 5

 N = 20, 131 and 47

  % of positivity

88

64

72.5

0.207

  Mean ± SD

11.3 ± 6.3

9.3 ± 7.5

10.5 ± 8.4

0.273

Lymphadenopathy

 N = 20, 131 and 47

  % of positivity

35

8

14

0.002*

Glandular enlargement

 N = 20, 131 and 47

  % of positivity

63

29

35

0.013*

Clinical exams

 CFS ≥ 3

  N = 19, 118 and 42

   % of positivity

36.8

55

50

0.321

Schirmer’s test (≤ 5 mm/5 min)

 N = 20, 125 and 40

  % of positivity

30

52.8

60

0.070

  Mean ± SD

15.2 ± 10.4

9.9 ± 10.4

8.6 ± 10.2

0.035*

TFBUT (sec)

 N = 16, 105 and 36

  % of positivity

68.7

86.7

86.1

0.171

  Mean ± SD

4.9 ± 3.6

3.4 ± 2.9

3.9 ± 3.0

0.224

UWSF (ml/min)

 N = 20, 112 and 40

  % of positivity

65

69.4

76.3

0.617

  Mean ± SD

0.13 ± 0.13

0.13 ± 0.22

0.09 ± 0.13

0.055

Lab exams

 Anti-Ro (SSa)

  N = 20, 131 and 47

   % of positivity (ratio)

90 (9:1)

81 (4:1)

67 (2:1)

0.031*

   Mean ± SD

144.3 ± 71.5

124.8 ± 74.2

112.4 ± 88.3

 

Anti-La (SSb)

 N = 18, 124 and 44

  % of positivity (ratio)

67 (2:1)

44 (1:1.25)

31 (1:2.2)*

0.014*

  Mean ± SD

52.4 ± 47.5

55.1 ± 68.8

48.3 ± 74.2

 

RF

 N = 18, 118 and 44

  % of positivity (ratio)

56 (1.3:1)

41.5 (1:1.4)

34 (1:1.9)

0.216

ANA

 N = 18, 131 and 44

  % of positivity

75

64

77

0.307

Cryoglobulinaemia

 N = 18, 111 and 33

  % of positivity

0

1.7

6.1

0.255

C3 (< 0.9 g/l)

 N = 18, 127 and 40

  % of positivity

15.4

14.4

15.8

 

  Mean ± SD

1.2 ± 0.28

1.2 ± 0.32

1.2 ± 0.34

0.411

C4 (< 0.1 g/l)

 N = 18, 127 and 40

  % of positivity

14.8

13.6

18.4

 

  Mean ± SD

0.23 ± 0.13

0.24 ± 0.1

0.25 ± 0.2

0.597

LDH (> 460 IU/l)

 N = 18, 80 and 31

  % of positivity

6.2

10.1

10

 

  Mean ± SD

295 ± 89.5

305 ± 117.5

316 ± 124.5

0.812

B2M (> 2585 ng/ml)

 N = 15, 123 and 37

  % of positivity

40

39

52

 

  Mean ± SD

2230 ± 721.4

3075 ± 1864

3820 ± 4123

0.303

γ fraction (> 1.79 g/dl)

 N = 20, 131 and 40

  % of positivity

52.6

39.8

35.8

 

  Mean ± SD

1.71 ± 0.69

1.53 ± 0.61

1.30 ± 0.77

0.029*

ESR (mm/h)

 N = 20, 106 and 27

  Mean ± SD

27 ± 18.4

25 ± 20.3

35 ± 27.3

0.151

CRP

 N = 19, 105 and 28

  % of positivity

52.6

51.1

50.0

 

  Mean ± SD

1.0 ± 0.9

0.8 ± 0.9

0.5 ± 0.4

0.219

LSG biopsy (FS ≥ 1)

 N = 18, 120 and 38

  % of positivity

96

88

97

0.059

  1. DES dry eyes symptoms; DMS dry mouth symptoms; ESSDAI EULAR Sjogren’s syndrome disease activity index; UWSF unstimulated whole salivary flow; CFS corneal fluorescein staining score; ANA antinuclear antibody; RF rheumatoid factor; B2M β2 microglobulins; LDH lactate dehydrogenase; γ fraction gamma fraction; ESR erythrocyte sedimentation rate; CRP C-reactive protein; LSG labial salivar gland biopsy; FS focus score
  2. *p < 0.05 for the comparison of the pSS groups (Chi-Square test, t-test or Kruskal–Wallis test and Dunn’s post hoc test, as appropriate)