[Saliva production in patients with diffuse lung disease].

We explored the potential involvement of Sjögren's syndrome as a cause of diffuse lung disease. A prospective clinical study was performed with measurements of saliva production made using the Saxon test. Sixty-seven diffuse lung disease patients who did not exhibit xerosis were examined. The group included 43 patients with sarcoidosis, 11 with interstitial pneumonia, 3 with primary pulmonary lymphoma (PPL), 2 with idiopathic BOOP, 2 with chronic eosinophilic pneumonia, and 6 with other diseases. Decreased saliva production was detected in 11 (16.4%), and Sjögren's syndrome was diagnosed in 4 (6.0%). Lung lesions displayed by the group with Sjögren's syndrome included PPL, bronchiolitis, sarcoidosis, and interstitial pneumonia. We concluded that in patients with diffuse lung diseases, it is always important to discriminate between those with sicca syndrome and Sjögren's syndrome. In our study, the Saxon test proved highly effective as a screening procedure for this purpose.