[Bronchial hypersensitivity in Sjögren's syndrome].

It has been reported that Sjögren's syndrome has various pulmonary involvement including lymphoid interstitial pneumonia, lung fibrosis and various pulmonary manifestation. And some abnormalities in respiratory function have been pointed out. Bronchial hypersensitivity has been indicated in patients with bronchial asthma. It has been revealed that it plays an important role in pathogenesis of bronchial asthma. Recently, some authors reported bronchial hypersensitivity in patients with Sjögren's syndrome. We studied bronchial responsiveness to methacholine by using astograph in patients with Sjögren's syndrome. The patients are 25 subjects with Sjögren's syndrome. Bronchial hypersensitivity was seen in 15 patients (60%). And it's pattern was more slight than it of bronchial asthma patients. Our results show bronchial hypersensitivity in Sjögren's syndrome which has been pointed out recently. It may be due to an alteration of bronchial epithelium secondary to lymphocytic inflammation and damage of bronchial glands.