Disease characteristics according to highest ultrasonography score among four salivary glands
| Highest score among four glands, US score 0 | Highest score among four glands, US score 1 | Highest score among four glands, US score 2 | Highest score among four glands, US score 3 | Difference between groups, p value | |
| No of patients | 20 | 71 | 23 | 20 | |
| pSS/no-pSS | 2 (10%)/18 (90%) | 10 (14%)/61 (86%) | 15 (65%)/8 (35%) | 16 (80%)/4 (20%) | <0.001 |
| Age (mean±SD) | 55.9±14.0 | 55.0±15.8 | 52.8±15.4 | 60.4±17.8 | 0.46 |
| Sex, women | 13 (65%) | 60 (85%) | 19 (83%) | 18 (90%) | 0.09 |
| Symptom duration >2 years | 10 (50%) | 22 (31%) | 12 (52%) | 12 (60%) | 0.12 |
| Anti-SSA antibodies | 7 (35%) | 19 (27%) | 15 (65%) | 20 (100%) | <0.001 |
| Anti-SSB antibodies | 1 (5%) | 2 (3%) | 5 (22%) | 12 (60%) | <0.001 |
| Schirmer’s test positive | 1 (5%) | 6 (8%) | 5 (22%) | 8 (40%) | <0.001 |
| Sialometry positive | 9 (45%) | 24 (34%) | 13 (57%) | 16 (80%) | 0.002 |
| Performed labial salivary gland biopsies (positive) | 8 (40%) (1 (13%)) | 25 (35%) (6 (24%)) | 9 (39%) (7 (78%)) | 3 (15%) (1 (33%)) | 0.02 |
P values, linear model for continuous variables and Cochran-Armitage test of trend for ordered categorical variables.
ACR, American College of Rheumatology; non-pSS patients, 2016 ACR/EULAR criteria for primary SS not fulfilled (below 4 points, 27 patients had 1-3 points according to the 2016 ACR/EULAR criteria but did not have labial salivary gland biopsy); pSS patients, 2016 ACR/EULAR criteria for primary SS fulfilled (at least 4 points); SS, Sjögren syndrome; US, ultrasonography.