Sjogren's Syndrome

Definition

Sjogren's syndrome is a combination of dry eyes, dry mouth, and another disease of the connective tissues, most commonly rheumatoid arthritis. The second most common autoimmune rheumatic disorder after rheumatoid arthritis. It may be occur due to diminished lacrimal and salivary gland secretion. It occurs mainly in women mean age. It may be a primary disorder, or it may be associated with connective tissue disorders, such as RA, scleroderma, systemic lupus erythematosus, and polymyositis.

Causes of Sjogren's Syndrome

The cause of Sjogren's syndrome is unknown. But other various factors such as genetic and environmental contribute to its development. Viral or bacterial infection or, perhaps, exposure to pollen may lead to Sjogren's syndrome in a genetically susceptible individual. Lymphocytic infiltration may be classified as benign, malignant, or pseudolymphoma.

Symptoms of Sjogren's Syndrome

If you have this disease, then various symptoms of this disease may include:

• Ocular dryness, it may leads to foreign body sensation
• Redness
• Burning
• Photosensitivity
• Eye fatigue
• Itching, and mucoid discharge.

Oral dryness may also leads to difficulty swallowing and talking; abnormal taste or smell sensation or both; thirst; ulcers of the tongue, buccal mucosa, and lips and severe dental caries. Dryness of the respiratory tract leads to epistaxis, hoarseness, chronic nonproductive cough, recurrent otitis media, and increased incidence of respiratory infections.

Other effects may include:

• Dyspareunia and pruritus that are associated with vaginal dryness
• Generalized itching
• Fatigue
• Recurrent low-grade fever, and arthralgia or myalgia.

Lymph node enlargement may be the first sign of malignant lymphoma or pseudo lymphoma. Specific extra glandular findings in Sjogren's syndrome include:

• Interstitial pneumonitis
• Interstitial nephritis, which results in renal tubular acidosis in 25% of patients
• Raynaud's phenomenon (20%)
• Vasculitis, usually limited to the skin and that may be characterized by palpable purpura on the legs (20%)

Treatment of Sjogren's Syndrome

If you have this disease, then you should be use Possible treatment such as:

• Treatment is usually symptomatic and includes conservative measures to treat ocular or oral dryness. You can treat mouth dryness by using a methylcellulose swab or spray and by drinking plenty of fluids, especially at mealtime.
• Another treatment for this disease is Meticulous oral hygiene. It is essential including regular flossing, brushing, at-home fluoride treatment, and frequent dental checkups.
• You can also treat this disease by avoiding drugs that decrease saliva production, such as atropine derivatives, antihistamines, anticholinergics, and antidepressants.If mouth lesions make eating painful. suggest high-protein, high-calorie liquid supplements to prevent malnutrition. Advise the patient to avoid sugar, which contributes to dental caries. Tobacco, alcohol. and spicy, salty, or highly acidic foods, which cause mouth irritation, should also be avoided.
• Other treatment measures vary with associated extra glandular findings. Parotid gland enlargement requires local heat and analgesics. Pulmonary and renal interstitial disease necessitates the use of corticosteroids. Accompanying lymphoma is treated with a combination of chemotherapy, surgery, or radiation.