First phase of the study Second phase of the study   pSS (n=82) HC (n=29) p-value pSS (n=30) HC (n=15) Non-SS (n=12) p-value Sex 82 F 29 F   30F 15F 12F   Age at the inclusion (yrs), mean (SD) 54.6 (13.8) 53.2 (12.8) n.s. 53.9 (12.7) 52.6 (12.4) 54.0 (13.4) n.s. Salivary flow rate ml/15’ (median and interquartile) (mean(SD)) 2(1.1 to 4.125) 3.0(2.7) 4.15(2.5 to 7.875) 5.3(3.7) 0.005 2.5(1.5 to 4.25) 5.5(4.2 to 10) 5.1(4.2) 3(2.1 to 6.75) 6.6(3.1) 0.013 Focus score (high/low) 20/50 n.a. n.a. 7/16 n.a. n.a. n.a. ANA (%) 100 n.a. n.a. 100 n.a. 58 0.0009 Anti-Ro/SSA (%) 57.3 n.a. n.a. 60 n.a. n.a. n.a. Anti-La/SSB (%) 22 n.a. n.a. 18 n.a. n.a. n.a. Rheumatoid Factor (%) 43 n.a. n.a 43 n.a. n.a. n.a.

Table 1: Patients’ demographic and clinical features (SD, standard deviation; F, female; n.s., not significant; n.a., not applicable, ANA, anti-nuclear antibodies).