Sjögren’s disease, previously called Sjögren’s syndrome, is an autoimmune disease. In autoimmune diseases, the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy parts of the body. Sjögren’s mainly affects glands that make moisture, leading to symptoms like dry eyes and dry mouth.

When you get a Sjögren’s antibody test, it analyzes your blood for autoantibodies. Autoantibodies are proteins made by the immune system that mistakenly target your own tissues. In Sjögren’s disease, your doctor is looking for autoantibodies called anti-SSA (also called anti-Ro antibodies) and anti-SSB (also called anti-La antibodies).

Not everyone with Sjögren’s will have these antibodies or receive a positive test result, so your healthcare provider or rheumatologist will likely order more tests before making a diagnosis. Plus, anti-SSA and anti-SSB can occur with other autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus (the most common form of lupus) or myositis (inflammation or swelling of the muscles). A full range of tests can help healthcare providers make the right diagnosis.

If you’ve already had an antibody test looking for anti-SSA and anti-SSB, it can be stressful to get a positive result, especially if you’re not sure what that might mean. But understanding what a Sjögren’s antibody test is and what the test results mean can help you figure out your next steps, especially if your healthcare provider confirms you have the disease.

What Is a Sjögren’s Antibody Test?

If your healthcare provider suspects Sjögren’s disease, they may order a Sjögren’s antibody test to look for specific autoantibodies in your blood. Sjögren’s disease can affect your entire body. The most common symptoms are dry eyes and dry mouth. You can also have joint pain, vision changes, and neurological issues.

During an antibody test, your blood is tested for anti-SSA and anti-SSB autoantibodies. When you have anti-SSA autoantibodies in your blood, it can be a sign that your immune system is mistakenly targeting your own tissues.

In addition to dryness, Sjögren’s can cause purpura (purple-colored spots or patches on your skin), leukopenia (low white blood cells), and vasculitis (inflammation of blood vessels). It can also affect your heart, lungs, and nervous system.

What Does a Positive Test Result Mean?

A positive anti-SSA test result means you have anti-Ro antibodies, which can be a sign of an autoimmune disease. A positive result is most common in Sjögren’s disease, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and other rheumatic diseases. Your healthcare provider will use these test results, along with an evaluation of your symptoms and several other tests, to make a diagnosis.

If your test shows only anti-SSB antibodies, which work against La proteins, that result by itself does not strongly point to Sjögren’s. Doctors don’t use SSB alone in the main checklist for the disease. It needs to be looked at with your symptoms and other tests.

About 60 percent to 80 percent of people with Sjögren’s disease have anti-SSA antibodies in their blood or receive a positive test result. You may also test positive for anti-SSB antibodies, though it’s possible to only have SSA antibodies in your blood. Anti-SSB antibodies are less likely to occur on their own and are found in about 30 percent to 50 percent of people with Sjögren’s.

In 20 percent to 40 percent of people with Sjögren’s, their blood doesn’t contain either antibody. In this case, their antibody test result would be negative, but they could still have the disease.

When Might You Need a Sjögren’s Antibody Test?

Because there’s not a single specific test for Sjögren’s, your healthcare provider or rheumatologist may order an antibody test as part of other tests. When the results of these tests are evaluated together, your provider will get a clearer picture of what’s happening and make a diagnosis.

Diagnosis hasn’t always been straightforward, though. In the past, it sometimes took as much as six years to diagnose someone with Sjögren’s. But with improved education and increased awareness, this timeframe has been reduced to about two and a half years.

Sometimes antibody testing is recommended if you’re pregnant and have a family history of Sjögren’s or lupus because these conditions can raise the risk of certain pregnancy complications. If you have anti-SSA or anti-SSB antibodies, the risk of neonatal lupus or fetal heart block is about 1 percent to 2 percent. Neonatal lupus is an autoimmune condition in newborns. Fetal heart block is a rare heart rhythm problem.

Which Tests Are Recommended With Sjögren’s Antibody Tests?

If your doctor suspects that you have Sjögren’s, they may order additional testing after they evaluate your results, or they may order them alongside the antibody test. These tests help paint a broader picture of what’s taking place in your body and help them diagnose you correctly.

Here are some tests they may recommend:

• Antinuclear antibody (ANA) — Many people with Sjögren’s have a positive result on this blood test. A negative result doesn’t rule out the disease.
• Rheumatoid factor — This blood test looks for antibodies often linked to rheumatoid arthritis. These antibodies are also found in some people with Sjögren’s.
• C-reactive protein — This blood test measures inflammation in the body and can help point to an autoimmune condition like Sjögren’s.
• Immunoglobulins — This test measures common antibodies (IgG, IgM, and IgA). Some people with Sjögren’s have higher-than-normal levels.
• Complement proteins — This blood test checks levels of complement proteins (C3 and C4), which help control inflammation. Low levels may suggest ongoing inflammation.
• Urinalysis — This test checks your urine for signs of inflammation, such as protein, changes in pH, or concentration.
• Schirmer test — This test measures how much tear fluid your eyes produce and can show damage to glands that make tears.
• Rose Bengal and lissamine green tests — These eye tests use dye to look for dry or damaged areas on the surface of the eyes.
• Salivary flow — This test measures how much saliva you produce over a set period of time to see how well the salivary glands are working.
• Salivary gland biopsy — A small sample is taken from the inside of the lower lip to look for clusters of white blood cells. Sjögren’s-specific findings can help confirm the diagnosis.

What Are the Next Steps When Your Results Are Positive?

Once your test results have been reviewed by a healthcare provider, you may be referred to a specialist in rheumatology. You may also be referred to an ophthalmologist as well as a dental professional. If you’re having heart or lung issues, you may need to see other specialists.

Together, these specialists will help develop a treatment plan. This may include additional tests, medications, and treatments to address your symptoms. The overall goal is to improve your quality of life and prevent complications.

Not everyone diagnosed with Sjögren’s will have complications. Overall, the outlook for Sjögren’s is usually good, and many people have the same life expectancy as those without the condition. Still, Sjögren’s can sometimes get worse over time and affect more than the eyes and salivary glands. If that happens, your healthcare team can adjust your treatment to help protect your health and keep symptoms under control.

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