Salivary glands in mikulicz’s disease

Mikulicz’s disease (MD) was considered to be a subtype of Sjögren’s syndrome (SS), based on histopathological similarities. However, recent studies have indicated that patients with MD show high serum IgG4 concentrations and suggested that MD is an “IgG4-related disease” and distinguishable from SS. We examined the clinical and serological features of MD and SS in detail to determine the ways in which the two conditions can be differentiated. MD can be diagnosed quickly and simply using diagnostic criteria such as serum IgG4 values and the presence of IgG4+ cells in the salivary glands, in conjunction with salivary gland imaging, sonography, and CT scans. Glucocorticoid therapy of MD reduces IgG and IgG4 levels and improves salivary function. A negative correlation between disease duration and increasing rate of salivary flow was observed in MD.