Abstract
The relationship among objective examinations in 32 cases of Sjögren syndrome were clinically analyzed. The objective degree of dry mouth was well correlated with the decrease of saliva secretion. The decrease of saliva secretion was also well correlated with the characteristic changes in sialography and scintigraphy of the parotid gland. On the other hand, the changes in the minor salivary gland of the lower lip and scintigraphs of the submandibular gland were also found in cases without severe decrease of saliva secretion. From the findings, in Sjögren syndrome, changes in the minor salivary gland of the lower lip and scintigraphs of the submandibular gland were early events and followed by the changes in sialographs and scintigraphs of the parotid gland, which were well correlated with the decrease of saliva secretion and the objective degree of dry mouth. Therefore, total evaluation of the objective examinations is helpful to know the degree of impairment in salivary gland function.
