Sjögren's Syndrome

 

Overview

When the glands responsible for producing moisture in the eyes, mouth, and other parts of the body are destroyed by autoantibodies.

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, and primary biliary cirrhosis.

Risk Factors and Prevalence

Females are more likely to have Sjögren’s syndrome than males. If you have family members with Sjögren’s syndrome, you are at a higher risk of having Sjögren’s syndrome, too.

Read More

Claire’s Story: Gender Bias & The Long Road to Diagnosis

Sources

  1. Article Sources and Footnotes

    1. 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.

    2. 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/.

    3. Patel, R., & Shahane, A. (2014). The epidemiology of Sjögren’s syndrome. Clinical epidemiology, 6, 247–255. https://doi.org/10.2147/CLEP.S47399.