Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate salivary hyaluronic acid (HA) concentration in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS). METHODS: Salivary and serum HA concentrations were evaluated using a radiometric assay. Thirty nine patients with SS served as the study group and their results were compared with 19 patients having clinical symptoms and signs of dry mouth and with 10 normal controls. RESULTS: Salivary HA concentrations were significantly increased (p < 0.05) in the 39 patients with SS compared with the 19 patients with dry mouth and the 10 normal controls (240.7 (38.5) v 99.8 (14.6) and 91.3 (7.9) ng/ml, respectively) (mean (SEM)). No significant differences were noted in the serum HA concentrations between the three groups (42 (3.9) v 36.3 (4.1) and 32 (4.3) ng/ml, respectively) (mean (SEM)). No correlation could be found between salivary HA concentrations and the focus score of lip biopsies, nor between salivary HA concentrations and erythrocyte sedimentation rate or other serological tests. CONCLUSION: Increased salivary HA concentrations can serve as a marker of local inflammation and may be of value in the diagnosis of SS.