Prevalence of Sjögren's syndrome in Brazilian patients infected with human T-cell lymphotropic virus

Abstract

Background

Human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) is known to be associated with neoplastic and neurodegenerative changes, and it is believed to be associated with various systemic inflammatory diseases, including Sjögren's syndrome (SS). Although HTLV-I infection is endemic in Brazil, there is no information regarding the association between HTLV-I infection and SS in the Brazilian population. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of SS in HTLV-I-infected individuals and the prevalence of HTLV-I-infection in individuals diagnosed with SS.

Methods

Serology for HTLV-I was performed in 50 patients presenting with complaints consistent with SS (the SS group). The HTLV-I group comprised 129 HTLV-I-infected patients who were screened for SS.

Results

None of the patients in the SS group tested positive for HTLV-I. Of the 129 patients in the HTLV-I group, 46 (35.7%) had xerostomia, 18 (13.95%) had xerophthalmia, 8 (6.2%) had hyposalivation, 2 (1.55%) showed impaired tear secretion, and 1 (0.77%) was positive for autoantibodies (anti-SSB). In addition, 6 underwent minor salivary gland biopsy, and the histopathological findings were consistent with SS. Only 2 (1.55%) met the diagnostic criteria for SS.

Conclusions

The prevalence of SS was found to be three times as high in HTLV-I-infected individuals as it was in those without HTLV-I infection. However, given the small number of HTLV-seropositive patients with SS, it is impossible to state that HTLV acts as an immune-activating pathogen for SS.

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