Sjögren's Syndrome
What is it?
Sjögren’s syndrome is an autoimmune disorder that affects secretion production at the mucous membranes, causing dry mouth, decreased tear production, and dryness of other body membranes.
Symptoms may include;
- dry and gritty eyes
- dry mouth with difficulty chewing and swallowing
- decreased sense of taste and smell
- joint pains
- fatigue
- dryness of the vagina, painful intercourse
- swollen salivary glands, especially the parotid
- swollen lymph nodes
More rarely the following may also occur;
- Raynaud’s (20%)
- Kidney involvement
- Neuropathy
- Vasculitis
Sjögren’s syndrome is much more common in women than men (9:1), and usually occurs between 40-60 years. It is estimated that 0.5-3% of the adult population may be affected. In the UK, 500,000 people may be affected.
In Sjögren’s syndrome, the body’s immune system mistakenly reacts to the tissue in glands that produce secretions such as tear and salivary glands. It is characterized by unusual infiltration of these glands by immune cells known as lymphocytes, and the presence of autoantibodies in the blood.
Sjögren’s syndrome can occur alone (primary Sjögren’s syndrome) or secondary to other well-defined autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS), polymyositis (PM), and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE).
There is an increased incidence of lymphoma among patients with primary Sjogren’s syndrome.
