Skin barrier function in primary and secondary Sjögren’s syndrome patients

Sjogren’s syndrome (SS) is a systemic autoimmune disease. A large percentage of patients with SS suffer from dry skin, the cause and pathogenesis of which in this group of patients remains obscure. The aim of the present study was to investigate skin barrier function in patients with SS. Measurements of transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and hydration of stratum corneum (corneometry, CM) were performed in 30 female patients with SS (17 with primary SS and 13 with secondary SS), 20 patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) and 14 healthy controls. There were no statistically significant differences in TEWL values between the three investigated groups, while CM values were significantly decreased in patients with AD when compared with patients with SS and the healthy controls. Based on the obtained results, skin barrier function and hydration in patients with SS showed no functional alterations.