Sjögren disease
Overview
Sjögren disease (SjD), previously known as Sjögren’s syndrome, is a systemic autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the body’s moisture-producing glands. The condition most often affects the salivary and lacrimal glands, leading to common symptoms such as dry mouth and dry eyes.
Common Symptoms
Dry mouth, dry eyes, skin/nose dryness, dysfunction of other organs, joint pain, skin rashes, shortness of breath, numbness and tingling, swelling of glands on face and neck, vaginal dryness, and fatigue.
Coexisting Diseases and Conditions
Rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, systemic lupus erythematosus, discoid lupus, hypothyroidism, Graves disease, pulmonary fibrosis, chronic adaptive hepatitis, primary biliary cirrhosis, and interstitial cystitis.
Risk Factors and Prevalence
Females are more likely to have Sjögren disease than males. If you have family members with Sjögren disease, you are at a higher risk of having it too. Certain immune and genetic changes in the salivary glands may contribute to the triggering of the disease.
In people with Sjögren disease, higher levels of STIM1 and toll-like receptors (TLR7 and TLR8) have been found, suggesting a possible link between immune system activation and gland problems.
Recent Research
- Loss of STIM1 and STIM2 in Salivary Glands Disrupts ANO1 Function but Does Not Induce Sjogren’s Disease (2025)
- IFN-γ–producing TH1 cells and dysfunctional regulatory T cells contribute to the pathogenesis of Sjögren’s disease (2024)
- Interstitial Cystitis in Sjögren’s Syndrome (2024)
- Comprehensive management of pregnant women with Sjögren’s syndrome (2022)
- Dry eye in Sjögren’s syndrome- characteristics and therapy (2022)
- Lymphoma and Sjörgen syndrome: A common overlapping syndrome? (2021)
- Fibroblasts in Sjögren’s syndrome (2021)
For Healthcare Providers (CE credit)
Optimizing Outcomes for Patients Experiencing Systemic Manifestations of Sjögren’s Disease
Patients with Sjögren Disease (SjD) face a variety of complex systemic symptoms that are difficult to recognize and manage. In this engaging clinical case challenge, learn tips to identify the non-sicca features of SjD, as well as the latest recommendations for the use of systemic therapies. Test your skills and see how you stack up against other health care professionals.
This activity is delivered by PRIME Education in partnership with United Rheumatology and the Sjögren’s Foundation.
Sources
- Article Sources
Brandt, J. E., Priori, R., Valesini, G., & Fairweather, D. (2015). Sex differences in Sjögren’s syndrome: a comprehensive review of immune mechanisms. Biology of sex differences, 6, 19. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13293-015-0037-7.
Nezos, A., & Mavragani, C. P. (2015, October 15). Contribution of Genetic Factors to Sjögren’s Syndrome and Sjögren’s Syndrome Related Lymphomagenesis. Journal of Immunology Research. https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jir/2015/754825/.
Patel, R., & Shahane, A. (2014). The epidemiology of Sjögren’s syndrome. Clinical epidemiology, 6, 247–255. https://doi.org/10.2147/CLEP.S47399.
Son, G. Y., et al. (2025). Loss of STIM1 and STIM2 in Salivary Glands Disrupts ANO1 Function but Does Not Induce Sjogren’s Disease. Function (Oxford, England), 6(1), zqae047. https://doi.org/10.1093/function/zqae047
Wang, Y. H., et al. (2024). IFN-γ-producing TH1 cells and dysfunctional regulatory T cells contribute to the pathogenesis of Sjögren’s disease. Science translational medicine, 16(778), eado4856. https://doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.ado4856
International Task Force on Nomenclature of Sjögren Disease, et al. (2025). 2023 International Rome consensus for the nomenclature of Sjögren disease. Nature reviews. Rheumatology, 21(7), 426–437. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41584-025-01268-z