AB0823 PREMATURE CEREBROVASCULAR EVENTS IN PRIMARY SJÖGREN SYNDROM (pSS) ARE ASSOCIATED WITH DELAYED DIAGNOSIS OF pSS

Background: Primary Sjögren´s syndrome (pSS) is associated with an increased risk of cerebrovascular events (CVE) (Bartoloni et al., 2015; Yong et al., 2018). Existing data from our center suggested an association between pSS and premature stroke, with a median age of 55.2 (Zippel et al., 2022). The heterogeneous nature of the signs and symptoms of pSS often causes delay in diagnosis, which remains a serious issue for pSS patients and results in prolongation of patients' distress (Komori et al., 2021). Objectives: To evaluate differences in patients above and below the age of 50 with cerebrovascular events in pSS. Methods: Between August 2018 and September 2023, 548 consecutive patients fulfilling ACR/EULAR classification criteria for pSS were enrolled in the study. Data were collected using standardized institutional protocols and review of medical records. Two groups were compared: patients with stroke Results: Of 548 confirmed pSS patients, 37 (6.8%) with a history of CVE, including ischemic stroke were identified. The patients median age was 60 years while the median age at the occurrence of stroke was 53. Stroke Conclusion: pSS patients with CVE below the age 50 often received their pSS diagnosis delayed, even after the CVE, even though the initial manifestation of pSS occurred in all patients before the stroke. Our results suggest that screening for pSS in patients with stroke may be useful. Table 1. REFERENCES: 1 Bartoloni, E., Baldini, C., Schillaci, G., et al. (2015). Cardiovascular disease risk burden in primary Sjögren's syndrome: results of a population-based multicentre cohort study. J Intern Med, 278(2), 185-192. doi:10.1111/joim.12346 2 Komori, K., Komori, M., Horino, T., et al. (2021). Factors associated with delayed diagnosis of Sjögren's syndrome among members of the Japanese Sjögren's Association for Patients. Clin Exp Rheumatol, 39 Suppl 133(6), 146-152. doi:10.55563/clinexprheumatol/s8l2n0 3 Yong, W. C., Sanguankeo, A., & Upala, S. (2018). Association between primary Sjögren's syndrome, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Clin Exp Rheumatol, 36 Suppl 112(3), 190-197. 4 Zippel, C. L., Beider, S., Kramer, E., et al. (2022). Premature stroke and cardiovascular risk in primary Sjögren's syndrome. Front Cardiovasc Med, 9, 1048684. doi:10.3389/fcvm.2022.1048684 Acknowledgements: NIL. Disclosure of Interests: None declared.