Table 4.

Gastrointestinal discomfort is common in primary Sjögren’s syndrome according to Rome III criteria

Symptomatology	Control subjects (N = 23)	Patients with FC <50 μg/g (n = 26)	Patients with FC >50 μg/g (n = 25)	All patients with pSS (N = 51)
Functional heartburn	1/23	7/26	6/25	13/51
Functional dysphagia	1/23	4/26	4/25	8/51
Functional dyspepsia	1/23	10/26a	9/25b	19/51a
Irritable bowel syndrome	3/23	8/26	8/25	16/51
Functional constipation	3/23	2/26	0/25	2/51
Faecal Incontinence	1/23	2/26	8/25b	10/51
Any of above	8/23	17/26b	20/25a	37/51a

FC faecal calprotectin; pSS primary Sjögren’s syndrome

Data shown are number of subjects with data indicative of functional gastrointestinal disorders. Significant differences were identified between control subjects in comparison to both primary Sjögren’s syndrome groups. Fisher’s exact test was used to compare groups. No significant differences were identified between patients with pSS with and without pathological FC testing. According to the Rome III criteria, organic disease must be ruled out in order to receive a diagnosis of functional gastrointestinal disorder

^a p < 0.05 compared with control subjects

^b p < 0.01 compared with control subjects