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Twenty-three patients with the CREST (calcinosis, Raynaud's phenomenon, esophageal dysmotility, sclerodactyly, telangiectasia) variant of progressive systemic sclerosis, were clinically, histopathologically and serologically examined for the presence of Sjögren's syndrome (SS). Fourteen were found to be positive. No significant difference could be demonstrated between them and the remaining 9. Characteristics of patients with CREST were compared with those of 29 randomly chosen patients with primary SS. Parotid gland enlargement was more frequently present (p less than 0.01) in the latter than in the former. Virtually no patients with CREST with SS had antibodies to Ro(SSA)/La(SSB).

Polymorphonuclear (PMN) cell functions were evaluated in twenty-two patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS) and 45 healthy controls. Adherence, phagocytosis, chemiluminescence and bactericidal ability were not significantly reduced in Sjögren's syndrome patients. Chemotaxis and chemokinesis were markedly reduced in SS patients and the results of the former test correlated well with those of the latter. These observations suggest that the decrease in PMN cell mobility is attributable both to a primary cell abnormality and a serum inhibitory effect.