[Histologic aspects of the minor salivary glands in lupus erythematosus].

Minor salivary glands from 10 patients with LE, 5 patients with LE and keratoconjunctivitis sicca and 5 patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome were subjected to histological examination, immunoglobulin detection and lymphocyte typing. There was no clear-cut difference between the last two groups. The 10 LE patients had a moderate lymphocytic infiltrate (stage 1 or 2 according to Chisholm's classification with a predominance of T lymphocytes and a CD4/CD8 ratio greater than 1. Exsudative vasculitis with endothelial swelling and lymphocytes within the capillary walls was always present. These vasculitic lesions in LE distinguish it from the initial periductal involvement seen in primary Sjögren's syndrome.