Primary-Sjögren's-Syndrome-Related Interstitial Lung Disease: A Clinical Review Discussing Current Controversies.

Lung involvement, especially interstitial lung disease, is a potentially severe extra-glandular manifestation of Primary Sjogren's Syndrome (pSS-ILD). ILD can manifest either as a late complication of pSS or anticipate sicca symptoms, likely reflecting two different patho-physiological entities. Presence of lung involvement in pSS subjects can remain subclinical for a long time; therefore, patients should be actively screened, and lung ultrasound is currently being investigated as a potential low cost, radiation-free, easily repeatable screening tool for detection of ILD. In contrast, rheumatologic evaluation, serology testing, and minor salivary gland biopsy are crucial for the recognition of pSS in apparently idiopathic ILD patients. Whether the HRCT pattern influences prognosis and treatment response in pSS-ILD is not clear; a UIP pattern associated with a worse prognosis in some studies, but not in others. Many aspects of pSS-ILD, including its actual prevalence, association with specific clinical-serological characteristics, and prognosis, are still debated by the current literature, likely due to poor phenotypic stratification of patients in clinical studies. In the present review, we critically discuss these and other clinically relevant "hot topics" in pSS-ILD. More specifically, after a focused discussion, we compiled a list of questions regarding pSS-ILD that, in our opinion, are not easily answered by the available literature. We subsequently tried to formulate adequate answers on the basis of an extensive literature search and our clinical experience. At the same, we highlighted different issues that require further investigation.

Glandular involvement in primary Sjögren's syndrome patients with interstitial lung disease-onset and sicca-onset, a single centre cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) is an autoimmune exocrinopathy classically presenting with sicca symptoms. Nonetheless, disease onset with extraglandular manifestations, including interstitial lung disease (ILD), is increasingly reported. However, studies investigating pSS patients presenting with ILD (pSS-ILD) are limited.Aim of this study was to better characterise the phenotype of pSS patients presenting with ILD in comparison to pSS patients with classicsicca-onset. We especially investigated whether the two groups differed in glandular involvement comparing functional, imaging andhistologic findings, as well as patient reported outcome (PRO). METHODS: Consecutive newly diagnosed pSS patients, all fulfilling the ACR/EULAR 2016 criteria, were included in this cross-sectional study from September 2016 to October 2021. Presence of ILD at pSS diagnosis was defined based on clinical findings, imaging assessment and pulmonary function tests (PFT). In addition to functional tests, a minor salivary gland biopsy was performed in all cases, recording number of foci, focus score (FS) and GC-like structures. Salivary glands ultrasonography (SGUS) was graded using the OMERACT semiquantitative scoring system (0-3) based on parenchyma inhomogeneity. PRO including ESSPRI, OHIP and OSSDI were collected.Extraglandular clinical features and biological abnormalities included in the ESSDAI were recorded. Data were expressed as mean±SD for continuous variables and as absolute frequencies and percentages for categorical variables. Chi-Square test and Mann-Whitney U-test and ANOVA were performed for comparisons of categorical variables and continuous variables, respectively. RESULTS: We included 178 newly diagnosed pSS patients (F:M=158:20). ILD was the first pSS manifestation in 11 (6%) cases, 8 F and 3 M, with a median time from ILD onset to pSS diagnosis of 2 years (25-75 IQ 1-4.5). Of the 11 pSS-ILD patients, HRCT pattern was defined as NSIP in 4, UIP in 4, NSIP+OP in 2 and LIP in 1 patient. Dyspnoea on exertion or chronic cough were reported by 7/11 (63.6%) patients.In comparison to sicca-onset patients, pSS-ILD patients presented an older age at diagnosis (55±13 vs. 70±7, p= 0.001) and a higher ESSDAI (3.9±4.7 vs. 12.3±4.3, p=0.001), driven by the pulmonary domain. Regarding glandular involvement, pSS-ILD patients reported milder xeropthalmia (VAS 5.8±3.1 vs. 2.8±3.5, p=0.002) and significative lower scores in OSDI (35.6±24.9 vs. 15.3±22.9, p=0.04) and OHIP (4.8±4.4 vs. 1.4±3.8, p=0.04), despite no significant differences observed between the two groups in ocular tests and unstimulated salivary flow rate. With respect to histology, no significant differences were found in number of foci, FS and GC-like structures. We observed a significantly different distribution of the SGUS OMERACT score in the two groups: none of pSS-ILD patients presented a SGUS OMERACT score ≥2 in the submandibular glands (SG), in contrast to 41/132 (31.1%) of the patients in the classical sicca-onset group (p=0.03). Finally, no significant differences were observed between the two groups with respect to non-pulmonary extraglandular manifestations, serologic features and other biological parameters. CONCLUSIONS: ILD-onset pSS patients represent an atypical phenotypic subset, with less pronounced sialadenitis structural changes in salivary glands, and with sicca symptoms probably overshadowed by the respiratory disease.

Sjögren's syndrome: one year in review 2022.

Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) is a complex disabling systemic autoimmune disorder. The hallmark of pSS is the T-cell-mediated hyperactivation of B-cells, evolving from asymptomatic conditions to systemic complications and lymphoma development. On tissue level, the typical feature is the lymphocytic infiltration of the salivary gland by B-, T- and antigen presenting cells, as mirrored by the diagnostic cornerstone role of minor salivary gland (MSG) biopsy. B-cells show multiple possible roles in disease pathogenesis, from autoantibody production, to antigen presentation, and cytokine production. B-cells hyperactivation is supported by genetic risk factors, T-cell dependent and independent mechanisms, and the presence of different pathogenic B-cell subsets must be reminded.Many aspects have been investigated in the last year regarding genetic and epigenetics, B- and T-cell role in pSS pathogenesis, their interaction with salivary gland epithelial cells (SGECs) and in their direct or indirect use as biomarkers and predictors of disease development, activity, and lymphomagenesis.In this review, following the others of this series, we will summarise the most recent literature on pSS pathogenesis and clinical features focusing in particular on new insights into pSS molecular stratification and therapeutic advances in the era of precision medicine.

Sjögren's syndrome and other rare and complex connective tissue diseases: an intriguing liaison.

Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is a systemic autoimmune disease that frequently occurs concomitantly with other systemic connective tissue disorders, including rare and complex diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and systemic sclerosis (SSc). The presence of SS influences the clinical expression of the other autoimmune diseases, thus offering the unique opportunity to explore the similarities in genetic signatures, as well as common environmental and biologic factors modulating the expression of disease phenotypes. In this review, we will specifically discuss the possibility of defining "SS/SLE" and "SS/SSc" as distinct subsets within the context of connective tissue diseases with different clinical expression and outcomes, thus deserving an individualised assessment and personalised medical interventions.

One year in review 2021: systemic vasculitis.

Large- and small-vessel vasculitis are complex potentially life-threatening systemic autoimmune diseases that have recently been subjected to considerable immunologic and clinical research. Following the other reviews of this series, here we aim to summarise some of the most significant studies that have been recently published on the pathogenesis, clinical features and novel treatments of systemic vasculitis.

Ultra-high frequency ultrasonography (UHFUS)-guided minor salivary gland biopsy: A promising procedure to optimize labial salivary gland biopsy in Sjögren's syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is an autoimmune disease characterized by an inflammatory infiltrate of exocrine salivary and lachrymal glands. Diagnosis is complex, and minor salivary gland biopsy and subsequent focus score (FS) calculation appear of extreme importance in the diagnostic work-up of the disease. Ultra-high frequency ultrasonography (UHFUS) is a recently introduced diagnostic technique, which is gaining an increasingly important role in intraoral imaging. This study aims at exploring the usefulness of UHFUS for obtaining valuable labial salivary gland samples to assess the histopathological features of SS patients. METHODS: Patients with clinical suspect of SS and eligible for minor salivary gland biopsy were enrolled. UHFUS scan of the lower lip was performed. Glandular echostructure was classified according to Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) scoring system. The glands to be sampled were selected on the basis of UHFUS evaluation and biopsied. The areas of the samples were recorded and compared with those obtained without UHFUS guidance. The correlation between UHFUS grade and labial gland FS was also assessed. RESULTS: The areas of the samples obtained with UHFUS guidance were significantly higher (7.25 ± 3.98 mm2 ) than those obtained by conventional procedures (5.79 ± 3.49 mm2 , P = .02). UHFUS correlated significantly with the salivary gland FS (r = .532, P = .001). CONCLUSION: UHFUS seems a promising tool in SS diagnostic algorithm, being able to provide a valuable support to the biopsy procedure. Further studies are mandatory to confirm the role of UHFUS in SS.

Ultra-high frequency ultrasonography of labial glands is a highly sensitive tool for the diagnosis of Sjögren's syndrome: a preliminary study.

OBJECTIVES: Ultra-high frequency ultrasonography (UHFUS) has been recently introduced in oral medicine due to its ability to image small anatomical structures including labial salivary glands (LSG). To date no ultrasonography morphological studies of labial salivary glands (LSG) have been carried out in SS. In this pilot study we aimed at analysing the distribution of UHFUS findings in LSG of patients with suspected SS, focusing in particular on the association with patients' oral dysfunction, antibody profiles and histopathology. METHODS: Consecutive patients undergoing a LSG biopsy for clinically suspected SS were included in this study between January 2018 and January 2020. Intraoral UHFUS scan of the lip mucosa was performed with Vevo MD equipment, using a 70 MHz probe with a standardised protocol. LSG were assessed by using a four-grade semiquantitative scoring system (0-3), similar to the OMERACT scoring system used for major salivary glands. The distribution of UHFUS grades was compared in patients stratified according their final diagnosis, patients antibody profiles and LSG histopathology. RESULTS: We included 128 patients with suspected SS: out of them, 54 (42.2%) received a final diagnosis of SS, made according to the ACR 2016 criteria and 74 (57.8%) were diagnosed as no-SS sicca controls. We found that LSG inhomogeneity was significantly greater in patients with SS than in no-SS subjects (p<0.0001). We also found that higher UHFUS pattern of inhomogeneity (i.e. grade 2 and 3) were significantly more frequent in both SSA+/SSB- and SSA+/SSB+ patients (p=0.001). A normal UHFUS pattern, by contrast, was significantly more common in SSA-/SSB- subjects (i.e. 15/83 (18.1%) vs. 1/33 (3%) vs. 0/12 (0%), p=0.001). Finally, LSG inhomogeneity was significantly associated with both the number of foci (p<0.001) and focus score (p<0.001). Particularly, we found that both the number of foci and the FS were significantly higher in patients presenting a UHFUS grading of 2 and 3 with respect to those presenting a UHFUS grading of 0 and 1 (p=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary study demonstrates the optimal feasibility of UHFUS and its high sensitivity in identifying negative patients on subsequent lip biopsy, thus avoiding invasive procedures in selected cases. Further studies are in progress to define the clinical and predictive role of the various patterns observed and their added value with respect to traditional salivary gland ultrasonography.