Sjögren’s syndrome: symptoms, diagnosis, treatment

1. Big picture

Sjögren’s syndrome is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease mainly targeting the exocrine glands, especially the lacrimal and salivary glands. The classic exam picture is:

middle-aged woman + dry eyes + dry mouth + anti-SSA/Ro ± anti-SSB/La + parotid enlargement ± systemic features.

It is not only a “dryness disease.” It can also cause arthritis, Raynaud phenomenon, purpura, interstitial lung disease, renal tubular acidosis, neuropathy, and B-cell lymphoma.

Core exam idea:

Sicca symptoms → prove objective gland dysfunction → check anti-SSA/SSB and systemic involvement → treat dryness and screen for lymphoma/systemic disease.