THU0292 Diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound and ultrasonographic features of salivary glands in patients with primary sjogren's syndrome
Authors: V Milic, G Radunovic, N Damjanov
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2017)

<h3>Objectives</h3> To analysis ultrasonography (US) changes of salivary glands (SG) in patients with primary Sjogren9s syndrome (pSS) and assessment of their accuracy for diagnosis pSS. <h3>Methods</h3> This study included 205 pSS patients (mean age 53.9±11.5, disease duration 5.6 years) and 87 healthy controls (mean age 52.3±14.7). All pSS patients fulfilled the AECG diagnostic criteria. The disease activity was measured by EULAR SS disease activity index (ESSDAI). Parotid and submandibular glands on both sides were assessed for size, parenchymal echogenicity and inhomogeneity, posterior glandular border and presence of intraglandular lymph nodes. Inhomogeneity of the salivary glands were graded according to the De Vita scoring system [0) homogenous glands; 1) mild inhomogeneous - isolated hypoechogenic areas; 2) evident inhomogeneous - scattered hypoechogenic areas, and/or multiple punctate or linear densities; 3) grossly inhomogeneous – large or confluents hypoechogenic areas, and/or to linear densities, and/or multiple cysts. The global SGUS score (0–6) was the sum of the scores of each pair of salivary glands. Statistical analysis was performed by SPSS v16. Data were compared using <i>t-</i>test, χ<sup>2</sup> test and Mann-Whitney U test. The optimal cut-off value for SGUS score was calculated as the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC-ROC). <h3>Results</h3> Xerophtalmia and xerostomia were presented in 185/205 (90.2%) and 186/205 (91.2%), respectively. According to ESSDAI, the majority of pSS patients 88/205 (43%) had moderate disease activity. Seventy-eight per cent of pSS patients were anti-SSA antibody positive, 44% anti-SSB/La antibody positive. Biopsy of LSG was positive in 140/172 (81.4%) pSS patients. US abnormalities were established in 197 (96%) pSS patients and in 16 (18%) controls (p&lt;0.0001). Pathological sizes of salivary glands were more frequently in pSS patients than controls, 111 (54.2%) vs. 3 (3.4%) patients, respectively (p&lt;0.0001). The echogenicity of the salivary glands was pathological changes in 142 (69.3%) pSS patients and in only 5 (5.7%) control group (p&lt;0.0001). The pathological glandular border was frequently in pSS patients than control group, 48 (23.4%) vs. 2 (2.3%), p&lt;0.0001. No differences were detected between the two groups of patients for enlarged intraglandular lymph nodes. Most of pSS patients had pathological inhomogeneity, 197/205 (96.1%) vs. 16/85 (18.4%) in control group (p&lt;0.0001). The median SGUS was significantly higher in pSS patients in comparison with control group [median (range) 4 (0–6) vs. 0 (0–2), p&lt;0.0001]. Forty-five percent of pSS patients had SGUS score 4. The SGUS cut-off ≥2 showed specificity of 89.5% and sensitivity 89.3%. Diagnostic accuracy of the parenchymal inhomogeneity was very good (AUC-ROC 0.89), followed by the glandular echogenicity (AUC-ROC 0.81), the glandular size (AUC ROC 0.75), the posterior border (AUC ROC 0.60), and the presence of intraglandular lymph nodules (AUC ROC 0.49), respectively. <h3>Conclusions</h3> Our findings confirm that most of established pSS patients had pathological SGUS features. Among US parameters, parenchymal inhomogeneity was the most discriminant feature for diagnosis of SS. There is the growing evidence that ultrasound should be considered as the useful method for evaluation of salivary glands in pSS patients. <h3>Disclosure of Interest</h3> None declared