Table 1. Groups of patients.

	Total population N = 35*	Rituximab responders N = 7	Rituximab non-responders N = 7	P value
Female, n [%]	34 [97]	6 [86]	7 [100]	1
Age, median [IQR]	53 [45–61]	46 [3–55]	52 [40–55]	0.65
Years since diagnosis, median [IQR]	2 [1–5]	1 [0.3–4]	3 [1–7]	0.14
Abnormal Schirmer’s test, n [%]	18 [51]	4 [57]	4 [57]	1
Salivary flow <0.1 mL/min, n [%]	26 [74]	5 [71]	6 [86]	1
Salivary flow [mL/min], median [IQR]	0.09 [0.04–0.14]	0.1 [0.06–0.14]	0.04 [0–0.09]	0.14
Anti-SSA/SSB positivity, n [%]	31 [89]	6 [86]	7 [100]	1
Centralised MSGB, n	31	7	7
Focus score, median [IQR]	1.3 [0.0–5.0]	0.3 [0.0–1.3]	4.0 [2.7–5.3]	0.02
SGUS performed, n	28	7	5
Highest single-gland SGUS grade, median [IQR]**	3 [3–4]	3 [2–3]	4 [3–4]	0.01
Total SGUS grade, median [IQR]***	9 [7–12]	9 [6–11]	16 [11–16]	0.04

*17 patients were allocated at random to rituximab and 18 to the placebo. 3 patients had missing data precluding the computation of the Sjögren’s Syndrome Responder Index (SSRI)-30 at W24.

**The single-gland grade can range from 0 to 4.

***The total grade can range from 0 to 16.

IQR, interquartile range; MSGB, minor salivary gland biopsy; SGUS, salivary-gland ultrasonography. Categorical data were compared between responders and non-responders using the chi-square or Fisher’s test as appropriate, and continuous data were compared using the Mann-Whitney test.