RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (PEI) results in maldigestion of fat, leading to steatorrhea, malabsorption and weight loss. Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is a chronic autoimmune rheumatic disease with unknown etiology. The exocrine pancreas and the salivary glands are functionally and histologically comparable, and pancreatic dysfunction in SS has been hypothesized. METHODS: Patients were recruited from the Department for Rheumatology at the Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden, between June and December 2019. PEI was assessed by fecal elastase-1 (FE-1) and 13C-mixed triglyceride breath test (13C-MTG-BT). The presence and severity of gastrointestinal symptoms were assessed by a well-established and validated survey based on a seven-point Likert scale. RESULTS: Fifty-seven patients with primary SS were included in the study, comprising 92% females with a median age of 63 years. In total, 87% of SS patients were tested for FE-1 and all had normal results. All patients who underwent a 13C-MTG-BT had a normal cumulative 13C-exhalation. Compared to the control group, significantly more patients suffered from gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms (p < .01). The same number of patients noted moderate to severe loose bowel movements or constipation (38%). Eleven GI symptom parameters were compared to controls and the highest odd ratios were noted for the following moderate to severe symptoms: bloating, feeling of incompletely emptied bowel after defecation and abdominal pain relieved by bowel action. CONCLUSION: In our study, most SS patients suffered from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)-like GI symptoms that could not be attributed to PEI.