Sjögren’s (pronounced show-grins) disease is an autoimmune disease that primarily targets the exocrine glands. The disease affects up to 4% of the population worldwide. Many of the main symptoms are common conditions.
Sjögren's: What PCPs Need to Know
Sjögren's symptoms can mimic other conditions, complicating diagnosis. It’s important for primary care doctors to know the following:
Other Autoimmune Diseases
Sjögren’s disease can occur on its own or with other autoimmune conditions, such as Rheumatoid arthritis, Lupus, and Scleroderma. A comprehensive review of patient history and associated symptoms is critical.
Dryness
It is easy to dismiss dryness as just a common condition caused by environmental and lifestyle factors, but it could signal a complex autoimmune condition. Early identification and a proactive approach can change the trajectory for your patients. And there's more hope every day- including better ways to diagnose through advanced biopsy techniques, now being performed at Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Many Parts of the Body
The disease can extend beyond dryness, affecting many parts of the body. If Sjögren’s is not properly treated, significant, long-term complications could result that affect the eyes, mouth, lungs, kidneys, liver or lymph nodes — complications including blindness, significant dental destruction and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
