Senile dry skin type Sjögren's syndrome.

BACKGROUND

Elderly patients may show asteatotic dermatitis complicating Sjögren's syndrome (sjs) that we have named "senile dry skin type sjs." To define the condition further, we have examined a group of patients with sjs and have recorded clinical and laboratory findings in these patients.

PATIENTS AND MATERIALS: Of the 36 patients, 11 were men and 25 were women, with a mean age of 72 years. In addition to the subjective sensation of dryness of the eyes and oral cavity and objective signs of dryness revealed by the Schirmer test, the rose bengal test, minor labial gland biopsy, and sialography were carried out, as well as other hematologic and immunologic tests.

RESULTS

The following abnormal laboratory tests were found: elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (85%), mild hepatic dysfunction (50%), and anemia (45%), leukopenia (42%), and thrombocytopenia (16%). Immunologic abnormalities were also observed, such as: positive antinuclear antibody (55%), an increase in gamma globulin (28%), and a positive rheumatoid factor (20%). In 11 of the 36 patients (30%), the subjective sensation of dryness was absent and only objective signs of dryness were present.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study suggests that dry-skin-dermatitis associated with sjs is rather common in the elderly.