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ObjectivesNeurological manifestations seem common in primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) but their reported prevalences vary. We investigated the prevalence and epidemiology of neurological manifestations in a French nationwide multicentre prospective cohort of patients with pSS, the Assessment of Systemic Signs and Evolution in Sjögren's syndrome (ASSESS) cohort.MethodsThe ASSESS cohort, established in 2006, includes 395 patients fulfilling American–European Consensus Group criteria for pSS. Demographic and clinical data were compared between patient groups with and without neurological manifestations, and across patient groups with peripheral nervous system (PNS) manifestations, central nervous system (CNS) manifestations and no neurological manifestations.ResultsData at inclusion were available for 392 patients, whose mean age was 58±12 years. Mean follow-up was 33.9 months. Neurological manifestations were present in 74/392 (18.9%) patients, including 63 (16%) with PNS manifestations and 14 (3.6%) with CNS manifestations. Prevalences were 9.2% for pure sensory neuropathy, 5.3% for sensorimotor neuropathy, 1.3% for cerebral vasculitis and 1.0% for myelitis. Neurological manifestations were associated with greater pSS activity as assessed using the ESSDAI (9.4±6.8 vs 4.3±4.8; p<0.001) and proportion of patients taking immunomodulatory/immunosuppressive drugs (32.4% (24/74) versus 13.8% (44/318), p=0003). New neurological symptoms were more common in patients with than without prior neurological manifestations (RR=3.918 (95% CI 1.91 to 8.05); p<0.001).ConclusionsPrevalences of peripheral and central neurological manifestations in pSS are about 15% and 5%, respectively. Neurological manifestations are associated with greater pSS activity. New neurological manifestations are more common in patients with prior neurological involvement.

BackgroundThe objective was to evaluate concordance between 2002 American-European Consensus Group (AECG) and 2016 American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) classification criteria for primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS) and to assess how salivary gland ultrasonography (SGUS) might improve the classification of patients.MethodsPatients with suspected pSS underwent a standardised evaluation, including SGUS, at inclusion into the single-centre Brittany DIApSS cohort. Agreement between the two criteria sets was assessed using Cohen’s κ coefficient. Characteristics of discordantly categorised patients were detailed.ResultsWe prospectively included 290 patients between 2006 and 2016, among whom 125 (43%) met ACR/EULAR criteria and 114 (39%) also met AECG criteria; thus, 11 (4%) patients fulfilled only ACR/EULAR, no patients AECG only, and 165 (57%) patients neither criteria set. Concordance was excellent (κ = 0.92). Compared to patients fulfilling both criteria sets, the 11 patients fulfilling only ACR/EULAR criteria had similar age and symptom duration but lower frequencies of xerophthalmia and xerostomia (p < 0.01 for each) and salivary gland dysfunction (p < 0.01); most had systemic involvement (91%), including three (27%) with no sicca symptoms; 91% had abnormal salivary gland biopsy and 46% anti-Sjögren's-syndrome-related antigen A (anti-SSA); 64% were diagnosed with pSS by the physician. SGUS was abnormal in 12% of the 165 patients fulfilling no criteria set. Including SGUS among the ACR/EULAR criteria increased sensitivity from 87.4% to 91.1% when physician diagnosis was the reference standard.ConclusionsAgreement between AECG and ACR/EULAR criteria sets is excellent. ACR/EULAR criteria are slightly more sensitive and classified some patients without sicca symptoms as having pSS. Including SGUS in the ACR/EULAR criteria may further improve their sensitivity.