[Clinical and histological experience of labial lip biopsy in juvenile Sjögren syndrome].

The therapeutic efficacy of corticosteroids and immunosuppressants on secretary glands of children with Sjögren syndrome was investigated examining the lip-biopsy specimen on both lymphocyte infiltration and fibrosis. Six children with primary Sjögren syndrome and two children with lupus-associated secondary Sjögren syndrome were evaluated according to the intensity of therapy. The shorter the term of medications of corticosteroids and immunosuppressants were, the lesser the extents of lymphocyte infiltration and fibrosis were, and the lower the doses of medications were, the lesser the efficacy was. Thus, in childhood Sjögren syndrome, appropriate corticosteroids and immunosuppressants may provide the suppressive effects on the progressive inflammatory destruction of secretary glands. Further evaluation with more patients is needed to determine the inclusion criteria of these treatments for sicca syndrome, especially in cases with no other organ involvement.