Labial salivary gland biopsy in Sjögren's disease.

A labial biopsy technique is described and was used to study 40 patients with connective tissue disease and 60 postmortem subjects. More than one focus of lymphocytes per 4 sq mm of minor salivary tissue was found to be a consistent finding in patients with Sjögren's disease. The labial biopsy is shown to be a further valuable investigative procedure in such patients.