IADR Abstract Archives
Prognostic Value of Ultra-High Frequency Ultrasound in Primary SjöGren Syndrome
Objectives: Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome (pSS) is a chronic autoimmune disease causing progressive impairment of lacrimal and salivary glands due to the development of inflammatory infiltrate in the glandular tissues. The characterization of the glandular infiltrate is extremely relevant as a prognostic factor for the development of lymphoma. In particular, a focus score (FS) ≥3 is considered as a threshold significantly contributing to lymphoma development. The aim of this study is to evaluate the potential role of Ultra-High frequency Ultrasonography (UHFUS) in the identification of patients with a FS ≥3 at higher risk of lymphoma.
Methods: Consecutive patients with suspected pSS were enrolled. All the patients underwent a complete rheumatological diagnostic work-up, UHFUS of minor salivary glands, and surgical biopsy. UHFUS images were evaluated according to the OMERACT scoring system (0= normal glandular parenchyma to 3= diffuse presence of hypoechoic areas in the absence of normal glandular parenchyma, glandular fibrosis).
Results: In total, 168 patients were included. Out of them a diagnosis of pSS was confirmed in 81 patients (48.2%, mean age 55.17±14.34). Seven patients presented a FS ≥3.None of the patients with UHFUS score 0 presented a FS ≥3; only the 3.7% of patients with UHFUS score 1-2 displayed a FS ≥3, whereas the 16.7% of the patients with a UHFUS score 3 had a FS ≥3 (p<0.05).
Conclusions: UHFUS score 3 tends to identify patients with a FS ≥3, thus highlighting the high correspondence between the UHFUS scoring and the histology. UHFUS could potentially become an integrating tool in risk assessment and stratification for lymphoma development in pSS patients.
Methods: Consecutive patients with suspected pSS were enrolled. All the patients underwent a complete rheumatological diagnostic work-up, UHFUS of minor salivary glands, and surgical biopsy. UHFUS images were evaluated according to the OMERACT scoring system (0= normal glandular parenchyma to 3= diffuse presence of hypoechoic areas in the absence of normal glandular parenchyma, glandular fibrosis).
Results: In total, 168 patients were included. Out of them a diagnosis of pSS was confirmed in 81 patients (48.2%, mean age 55.17±14.34). Seven patients presented a FS ≥3.None of the patients with UHFUS score 0 presented a FS ≥3; only the 3.7% of patients with UHFUS score 1-2 displayed a FS ≥3, whereas the 16.7% of the patients with a UHFUS score 3 had a FS ≥3 (p<0.05).
Conclusions: UHFUS score 3 tends to identify patients with a FS ≥3, thus highlighting the high correspondence between the UHFUS scoring and the histology. UHFUS could potentially become an integrating tool in risk assessment and stratification for lymphoma development in pSS patients.