This triad also is known as the sicca complex. These primary and secondary types occur with similar frequency, but the sicca complex seems to cause more severe symptoms in the primary form. Virtually all organs may be involved. The disease commonly affects the eye, mouth, parotid gland, lung, kidney, skin, and nervous system. Although the disease process rarely shortens a patient's lifespan, morbidity can be devastating.
Ocular dryness can lead to chronic keratoconjunctivitis and corneal ulcers.
Oral dryness leads to caries, fissures, candidal infections, and difficulty speaking and swallowing food. These patients often are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for years. They often feel physicians are uneducated or unsympathetic to their disease. Onset is insidious, and symptoms may be mild. A test strip of number 41 Whatman filter paper is placed near the lower conjunctival sac to measure tear formation.