OBJECTIVE: To determine the accumulated end organ damage and health status in 
patients with SS and to compare with patients with SLE (with or without SS).
METHODS: Thirty-seven patients with primary SS were studied and compared with 
120 patients with SLE and 21 patients with SLE and SS. The Medical Outcome 
Survey Short Form 20 with an additional question for fatigue was used to assess 
health status. The SLICC/ACR damage index with a supplementary oral section was 
used to assess end organ damage. For statistical analysis, logistic regression 
analysis, Fisher's exact test, and Kruskal-Wallis rank tests were applied.
RESULTS: Patients in all 3 groups had reduced quality of life with respect to 
all aspects of functional status and well being. There was no difference between 
the groups. In the primary SS group, the greatest damage was in the oral section 
(62% of patients). The patients with SLE and SS had the greatest renal, 
peripheral vascular, and musculoskeletal damage (24, 19, 38% of patients, 
respectively) followed by the SLE group. Ocular damage was more common in the 
primary SS group, but that was due to older age in this group. Malignancy was 
most common in the primary SS group (11%). Other organ damage scores did not 
differ between groups.
CONCLUSION: End organ damage is uncommon in primary SS (with the exception of 
oral damage), but the degree of functional ability is as great as in SLE.