Minor salivary gland biopsies in childhood-onset Sjögren’s disease show greater inflammation and more frequent fibrotic changes than in adult-onset Sjögren’s disease
Authors' conclusion
MSG biopsies in cSjD show a more inflammatory, lymphoid-organizing B-enriched phenotype, with more frequent fibrosis than in adults.
Study context
- Population
- Children with childhood-onset Sjögren's disease (SjD) and adults with SjD undergoing minor salivary gland (MSG) biopsy
- Participants
- 18 vs 55
- Exposure
- Childhood-onset SjD vs adult SjD
- cSjDn = 18
- Adult SjDn = 55reference
- Outcome
- MSG histopathology per EULAR standards: focus score, LELs, ectopic GCs
Methodological detailscomparative histopathological study, consecutive patients
- Comparative histopathological study
- Consecutive patients
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
MSG histopathology
- Focus score, median: cSjD 3.4 vs adults 1.0
- p = 0.0002
- Germinal centers (GCs): cSjD 44.4% vs adults 5.5%
- p = 0.00034
- Lymphoepithelial lesions (LELs): cSjD 61.1% vs adults 5.5%
- p < 0.0001
- Fibrotic changes: cSjD 66.7% vs adults 27.3%
- p = 0.0048
- Significantly increased CD3 and CD20 infiltrates and increased CD20/(CD20 + CD3) proportion in cSjD
- all p < 0.0001
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Recurrent parotid swelling
P = 0.0015
RF
P = 0.0072
| Outcome | cSjD | Adult SjD | P value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palpable purpura | 44.4% | — withheld: not confirmed against the abstract | P < 0.0001 |
— withheld: the automatic checks could not confirm the value against the abstract
- Xerostomia and xerophthalmia
- P < 0.0001 for both
- Fatigue and myalgia
- P = 0.0058 and p < 0.0001, respectively
- Anti-SSA antibodies
- P = 0.0029
- ESSDAI and ESSPRI · higher in children
- P = 0.0001
- ESSDAI and ESSPRI · lower in children
- P < 0.0001
Xerostomia and xerophthalmia
- Predominated in adults
Palpable purpura
- More common in children
Fatigue and myalgia
- Rare in children
Anti-SSA antibodies
- Less frequent in cSjD
Parts of this Brief are withheld: the automatic checks could not confirm them against the abstract.
Original publication
Minor salivary gland biopsies in childhood-onset Sjögren’s disease show greater inflammation and more frequent fibrotic changes than in adult-onset Sjögren’s disease. Arthritis Res Ther. Published 22 July 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →