Is Sjogren's syndrome worse than lupus?

The prognosis with SS is generally better than that of other autoimmune diseases such as lupus. Patients with just exocrine gland involvement do not appear to have increased mortality.

Can Sjogren's turn into lupus?

Most often, the co-occurring autoimmune disease is rheumatoid arthritis. Other individuals with secondary Sjogren's may have lupus, scleroderma, primary biliary cirrhosis, or a different kind of autoimmune disease.

Is lupus and sjogrens similar?

The symptoms of Sjogren's syndrome and lupus can be very similar. In some cases, it can be hard to tell the two apart. This may lead to the diagnosis of both conditions in a person who only has one or the misdiagnosis of someone who actually has both.

What percentage of Sjogren's patients have lupus?

SLE is one of the autoimmune diseases most often associated with SS,⁷ as reported in 9%–33% of SLE patients. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses published more recently show a prevalence of sSS in SLE patients of about 14%–17.8%.

Is sjogrens a serious disease?

Sjogren's is a serious condition, but timely treatment can mean that complications are less likely to develop, and tissue damage is less likely to occur. Once treated, an individual can usually manage the condition well. Sjogren's can develop at any age, but most diagnoses occur after the age of 40 years.

My Worst Lupus

Does having Sjogren's mean you are immunocompromised?

As a note – not all Sjögren's patients have compromised immune systems. This specific risk factor is for those who regularly take drugs to suppress the immune system.

Does sjogrens get worse over time?

Symptoms are mild in most people but can be very severe in others. Symptoms can vary over time and may improve, worsen, or even go away completely for periods.

What is the life expectancy of Sjogren's syndrome?

Life expectancy and primary Sjogren's syndrome

Life expectancy in primary Sjogren's syndrome is comparable to that of the general population, but it can take up to seven years to correctly diagnose Sjogren's. Although life expectancy is not typically affected, patients' quality of life is, and considerably.

How quickly does Sjogren's progress?

The condition may progress slowly, so the typical symptoms of dry eyes and mouth may take years to show. However, rapid onset can also occur. Symptoms can be mild, moderate or severe, and the progression is often unpredictable.

Is Sjogren's syndrome a disability?

The SSA lists Sjogren's syndrome as a recognized disability, but people who are diagnosed with the disorder must meet the eligibility criteria in order to qualify for benefits.

Is Sjogren's progressive?

Sjogren's is a complex slowly progressive disorder. After rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren's is the most common chronic autoimmune rheumatic disease. It primarily affects the moisture producing glands in the mouth and eyes.

Is primary Sjogren's worse than secondary?

SSc appears to be less severe in patients with SS-SSc than SSc alone with a lower frequency of lung fibrosis (P = 0.05). Compared with patients with pSS or SSc alone, SS-SSc patients were more likely to have another autoimmune disorder and other autoantibodies (SS-SSc vs pSS, P = 0.02 and P = 0.03, respectively).

What organs are affected by Sjogren's syndrome?

Sjögren's syndrome can also affect other body organ systems. These organs include the skin, joints, muscles, blood, lung, heart, kidney, and nerves.

What are the long term effects of Sjogren's syndrome?

If Sjögren's syndrome isn't treated appropriately, significant, long-term complications could result that affect your eyes, mouth, lungs, kidneys, liver or lymph nodes — complications including blindness, significant dental destruction and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

What is a positive result for Sjogren's syndrome?

Antinuclear Antibody (ANA): The ANA test is positive in the majority of Sjögren's syndrome patients. However, a positive ANA test is also common in healthy individuals. The ANA test is most commonly performed using a technique that involves immunofluorescent staining of human cells grown in tissue culture (Figure 3).

What does a sjogrens flare feel like?

Joint pain is one of the most common symptoms of Sjögren's syndrome. Multiple joints are painful, usually episodically with periods of joint pain, known as “flares”, followed by periods of little or no joint pain. Tenderness and swelling of the joints, when present, are indicative of inflammatory arthritis.

What should I avoid with Sjogren's syndrome?

Individuals who experience severe xerostomia tend to avoid crunchy foods such as raw vegetables, dry or tough foods such as meats and breads, and sticky foods such as peanut butter. Xerostomia can also affect dental health.

Can you have Sjogren's without lupus?

Sjogren's syndrome can occur alone or in association with other autoimmune diseases, most commonly lupus and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Several studies have shown various differences between people with SS alone and those with SS and another connective tissue disease.

What drugs make sjogrens worse?

Avoid medicines that are known to cause dry eyes. These include antihistamines, diuretics, and some antidepressants. Talk with your doctor if you take any of these medicines. Sometimes the benefits of a medicine outweigh the risks.

What is the best treatment for Sjögren's syndrome?

Treat systemwide symptoms.

Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil), a drug designed to treat malaria, is often helpful in treating Sjogren's syndrome. Drugs that suppress the immune system, such as methotrexate (Trexall), also might be prescribed.

Can sjogrens cause death?

pSS is not associated with an increase in all-cause mortality as compared with the general population. However, a subset of patients with extraglandular involvement, vasculitis, hypocomplementaemia and cryoglobulinaemia may be at increased risk of mortality and require close follow-up.

How do people live with Sjögren's?

Living a healthy lifestyle consisting of an anti-inflammatory diet, adequate sleep, exercise, and minimal stress are an important part of living well with a chronic disease like Sjögren's. Both heat and cool packs can help relieve muscle and joint pain associated with Sjögren's.

Can sjogrens make you feel unwell?

Sjogren's Syndrome patients often complain of mental fatigue or “brain fog.” Brain fog impairs focus, causes fuzzy concentration, and contributes to difficulty in problem-solving. Keep your stress levels low, and give your brain a workout with crosswords, puzzles, reading, adult coloring books, or online brain games.

Can Sjogren's go into remission?

The damage to salivary glands in Sjogren's syndrome cannot be reversed, but the symptoms can be controlled and, rarely, the disease goes into remission.

What causes Sjogren's syndrome to flare up?

Certain genes put people at higher risk of the disorder, but it appears that a triggering mechanism — such as infection with a particular virus or strain of bacteria — is also necessary. In Sjogren's syndrome, your immune system first targets the glands that make tears and saliva.