SAT0297 Sle patients with secondary sjÖgren's syndrome are characterized by typical autoantibodies and a pro-inflammatory state
Authors: M Kvarnström, G Ruacho, JT Gustafsson, A Zickert, V Oke, J Rönnelid, K Elvin, I Gunnarsson, E Svenungsson
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2017)

<h3>Background</h3> Sjögren9s syndrome occurs in isolation (primary Sjögren9s syndrome, pSS), but it is also often secondary (sSS) to, and sometimes difficult to delineate from, other rheumatic diseases, in particular from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Consequently there is a need to investigate similarities and differences between SLE patients with (SLE-sSS) and without sSS (SLE-noSS). <h3>Objectives</h3> To investigate the occurrence of sSS in a large cohort of SLE patients and to explore clinical and laboratory characteristics associated with SLE-sSS as compared to SLE-noSS and controls. <h3>Methods</h3> We included 504 consecutive SLE patients and 322 population controls, individually matched for age and gender to the first patients. All patients fulfilled the 1982 revised ACR criteria for SLE. SLE-sSS was defined according to the American-European consensus criteria (AECC). Accordingly, subjective and objective quantifications of sicca symptoms were recorded on all subjects. All underwent a thorough clinical investigation. SLE-associated autoantibodies, (ANA screening by BioPlex 2200 system, Bio-Rad) and Rheumatoid factor (RF, Phadia Immunocap 250) were determined with standardized methods for all subjects, Routine laboratory workup and a panel of cytokines (MSD 30-plex cytokine assays, performed on samples from 433 consecutive SLE patients and 319 controls) were measured on fasting blood samples. <h3>Results</h3> SLE-sSS, as defined by AECC, occurred in 23% of the SLE patients. Compared to SLE-noSS the SLE-sSS group was older, both at inclusion (55 vs 43yrs, p&lt;0.0001) and at disease onset (40 vs. 32 yrs p&lt;0.0001), and with a greater number of females (96 vs. 83%, p=0.0007), higher occurrence of leucopenia (57 vs. 45%, p=0.02) and peripheral neuropathy (15 vs 7%, p=0.01). Nephritis was less common in SLE-sSS (32 vs 43%, p=0.03). Higher levels of total IgG, positivity for anti-SSA/Ro52, anti-SSA/Ro60, anti-SSB antibodies, RF IgM and RF IgA further characterized the SLE-sSS group. 20/30 investigated cytokines were detectable, of these 19/20 were higher in SLE than in controls. 6/20 cytokines (TNF-a, IL-6, MCP-4, MIP-1β, IL12/IL-23p40 and IP-10) were upregulated in SLE-sSS vs. SLE-noSS (see table for figures). <h3>Conclusions</h3> Through strictly applying the AECC criteria we report that the frequency of SLE-sSS increases with age and affects roughly ¼ of SLE patients. Nephritis was less common while leucopenia and peripheral neuropathy were more common among SLE-sSS patients. In addition to excess of well-known SS-associated autoantibodies we report higher levels of six pro-inflammatory cytokines in SLE-sSS as compared to SLE-noSS. These findings demonstrate that, though often regarded as a milder version of SLE, patients with SLE-sSS are characterized by a state of chronic systemic inflammation. <h3>Acknowledgements</h3> Susanna Eketjäll at Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, Innovative Medicines and Early Development Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca, Integrated Cardio Metabolic Centre (ICMC), Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden <h3>Disclosure of Interest</h3> None declared