{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,13]],"date-time":"2026-08-13T13:08:25Z","timestamp":1786626505267,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":56,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"18","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,9,10]],"date-time":"2023-09-10T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1694304000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJMS"],"abstract":"<jats:p>To assess the relationship between endothelial dysfunction and serum cytokines, anti-SSA and anti-SSB antibodies, beta-2 microglobulin levels, focus score and EULAR Sj\u00f6gren\u2019s Syndrome Disease Activity Index (ESSDAI) in primary Sj\u00f6gren\u2019s syndrome (pSS) patients. The study included 90 patients with pSS and 45 healthy subjects, matched for age and gender, as controls. Serum beta-2 microglobulin, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, TNF-\u03b1, and IL-6 were analyzed in both the groups. Patients with pSS were also tested for antinuclear antibodies, anti-SAA (anti-Sj\u00f6gren\u2019s syndrome-related antigen A) antibodies, anti-SSB (anti-Sj\u00f6gren syndrome related antigen B) antibodies, and focus score (the histopathologic one, based on minor salivary gland biopsy). Endothelial dysfunction was assessed by means of flow-mediated dilation (FMD) in the brachial artery. Data are presented as mean \u00b1 standard deviation. Statistical analysis was performed using the t-test and the Pearson\u2019s correlation. Differences were considered to be statistically significant if the value of p &lt; 0.05. Endothelial dysfunction was identified in pSS patients (p &lt; 0.00001). The serum levels of cytokines (TNF-\u03b1, respective IL-6) and beta-2 microglobulin were increased in pSS patients compared with controls (p &lt; 0.00001). Endothelial dysfunction (expressed as FMD%) was correlated with focus score, ESSDAI, levels of anti-SSA and anti-SSB antibodies, beta-2 microglobulin, IL-6, and TNF-\u03b1, with statistical significance. Endothelial dysfunction is present in pSS patients and is associated with a high focus score and activity as well as increased concentrations of antibodies, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and beta 2-microglobulin.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms241813918","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,9,11]],"date-time":"2023-09-11T09:00:52Z","timestamp":1694422852000},"page":"13918","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":14,"title":["Endothelial Dysfunction in Primary Sj\u00f6gren\u2019s Syndrome: Correlation with Serum Biomarkers of Disease Activity"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"24","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1306-425X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alexandru","family":"Caraba","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"3rd Internal Medicine, Diabetes and Rheumatology Department, University of Medicine and Pharmacy \u201cVictor Babe\u0219\u201d, 300041 Timi\u0219oara, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Stela","family":"Iurciuc","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Cardiology Department, University of Medicine and Pharmacy \u201cVictor Babe\u0219\u201d, 300041 Timi\u0219oara, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mihaela","family":"Nicolin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Cardiology Department, \u201cVictor Popescu\u201d Military Hospital, 300080 Timi\u0219oara, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mircea","family":"Iurciuc","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Cardiology Department, University of Medicine and Pharmacy \u201cVictor Babe\u0219\u201d, 300041 Timi\u0219oara, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,9,10]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Yura, Y., and Hamada, M. 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