Table 1: Demographic, clinical and serological parameters in RA patients and controls.

Parameters	RA (n = 75) Present of sicca symptoms	RA (n = 75) Absent of sicca symptoms	Controls (n = 75)
Age	48.22 ± 6.61	51.23 ± 5.42	47.51 ± 9.05
Sex (M/F)	3/75	2/75	3/75
Duration of disease	10.33 ± 2.66	9.60 ± 2.26	------------
Schirmer’s test (mm/5 min)	3.07 ± 1.53^*,**	14.67 ± 7.36	15.97 ± 6.98
UWSFR (ml/15 min)	1.59 ± 0.48^*,**	2.35 ± 0.55	2.65 ± 0.64
DAS 28	4.68 ± 0.99	4.85 ± 0.79	------------
ESR (mm/h)	40.46 ± 20.84^**	38.76 ± 23.63^**	10.22 ± 2.89
CRP (mg/dl)	17.54 ± 6.57^**	16.42 ± 5.98^**	4.40 ± 2.73
RF (U/ml) RF+ve n (%)	180 ± 160.2^** 65 (86.6%)	203 ± 200.3^** 67 (89.3%)	14.6 ± 5.5
Anti-CCP2 (U/ml)	323.5 ± 286.7^**	305.4 ± 290.5^**	14.11 ± 5.45
Anti-Ro (U/ml) Anti-Ro+ve n (%)	23.05 ± 21.19^*,** 5 (6.6%)	2.45 ± 1.29 00	2.68 ± 0.41
Anti-La (U/ml) Anti-La+ve n (%)	24.04 ± 22.17^*,** 4 (5.3%)	3.54 ± 2.23 00	2.76 ± 0.51
CXCL13 in serum (pg/ml)	117.26 ± 114.75^**	123.80 ± 115.46^**	10.64 ± 8.43
CXCL13 in saliva (pg/ml)	210.56 ± 106.55^*,**	115.80 ± 88.56^**	10.44 ± 7.12
BAFF in serum (pg/ml)	759.69 ± 213.33^*,**	582.93 ± 155.78^**	314.88 ± 141.00
BAFF in saliva (pg/ml)	945.23 ± 356.12^*,**	445.15 ± 112.41^**	214.52 ± 124.36

^*p < 0.001 comparison between the two groups of RA.

^**p < 0.001 compared to controls.

UWSFR: Unstimulated Whole Salivary Flow Rate, DAS-28: Disease Activity Score for 28 joints, ESR: Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate, CRP: C-Reactive Protein, RF: Rheumatoid Factor, Anti- CCP: Anti-Cyclic Citrullinated Peptides, CXCL13: Chemokine CXC Ligand 13, BAFF: B Cell Activating Factor Belonging to the Tumor Necrosis Factor Family.