Sialochemistry of patients with autoimmune rheumatic disease with and without histological manifestations of Sjögren's syndrome.

Fifty-one patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases underwent biopsy of the labial minor salivary glands. These patients were divided according to histopathology of lip biopsies into three groups (negative lip biopsy, 1+ and 2+). From all the patients stimulated parotid salivary flow was measured. In the saliva sodium, potassium, magnesium, alpha-amylase, and immunoglobulin levels (IgA, IgG, IgM) were measured. It is shown that patients with advanced chronic inflammatory disease of the minor salivary glands have decreased stimulated salivary flow. However, no statistically significant differences were observed in the biochemical markers tested between the histopathological groups examined.