Salivary gland dysfunction in systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis. Diagnostic importance

Salivary scintigraphy employing radionuclides has proved to be an accurate, reproducible method for demonstrating salivary gland involvement in Sjögren's syndrome. A prospective study was undertaken of 24 consecutive patients bearing a diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 78 consecutive patients bearing a diagnosis of classic or definite rheumatoid arthritis, and 18 control patients. Clinical of Sjögren's syndrome did not necessarily correlate with abnormal scintiscans. Extensive involvement, with greatly abnormal scintiscans (class 3 and 4), was found most consistently in patients who had SLE and who were seronegative for rheumatoid factor Salivary gland scintigraphy may ultimately serve as an adjunctive procedure for the diagnosis of this disease.