Characterization of Sjogren's disease (SD) with onset at early age basing on the comparison of two patient groups--with the disease onset at the age under 30 and over 50.
Clinical, ophthalmological and stomatological examinations were performed in 31 SD patients who developed the disease at the age under 30 (group 1) and over 50 (group 2).
In group 1 the disease started with parotitis in 42.8% of cases, dysfunction of secreting epithelial glands was rare, functional activity of exocrine glands was normal, dysproteinemia (high total protein levels, hypergammaglobulinemia, hypoalbuminemia) and immunological defects (high levels of circulating immune complexes, rheumatoid factor, antinuclear factor) were more pronounced. At retrospective analysis not only a decline of functional activity of the salivary and lacrimal glands but also appearance of systemic symptoms were registered.
Development of systemic SD symptoms at young age necessitates early pathogenetic therapy employing corticosteroid, cytostatic and other drugs.