Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome in the Elderly: Does Age of Onset Make a Difference?

Primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS) is a relatively common disease and one of the most common rheumatic diseases of autoimmune and inflammatory origin. It is primarily associated with symptoms of dryness, mainly in the mouth and eyes, but it can also manifest in the internal organs. Epidemiological studies have highlighted that elderly-onset pSS (EOpSS) is common, and it is known that sicca syndrome is a feature often observed in the elderly and can be induced by several factors. However, the presence of autoantibodies in older patients with sicca syndrome can be age-related and does not mean pSS is present. This review article presents the most important elements for making a correct diagnosis of EOpSS and considers clinical and/or laboratory differences between older and younger pSS patients. According to data from the literature, EOpSS is not a distinct subset of disease when compared with younger-onset pSS.