Each week, OMRF Chief Medical Officer Dr. Judith James opens “Adam’s Journal” to answer a medical question from Adam Cohen, OMRF’s senior vice president & general counsel.
Adam’s Journal
I read recently that many autoimmune illnesses, including Sjögren’s disease, are becoming more common. What is Sjögren’s, and why is it on the rise?
Dr. James Prescribes
In autoimmune diseases, which affect an estimated 1 in 10 people, the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own tissues and organs. With Sjögren’s (pronounced SHOW-grins), those attacks are primarily directed at moisture-producing glands, like those that make saliva and tears.
The most common symptoms of Sjögren’s are dry eyes and dry mouth. The eyes may turn red, burn, or feel gritty, as if sand is in them. Meanwhile, lack of saliva can make certain foods difficult to eat or swallow. Because of chronic dryness, patients can develop eye infections, cornea damage, tooth decay and gum disease.
As with many other autoimmune conditions, Sjögren’s disproportionately strikes women and is a systemic disease, which means it can affect the entire body.
So, along with extensive dryness (which can also affect the skin, nasal passages and throat), other complications can include fatigue, joint pain, skin rashes and major organ involvement. Rarely, it can cause an increased risk of lymphoma.
Sjögren’s can be very challenging to identify, as its symptoms can resemble other conditions. Diagnosis is further complicated by the fact that roughly half the time, it occurs in conjunction with other autoimmune diseases, most often rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus.
As a result, estimates of Sjögren’s prevalence vary widely, from hundreds of thousands to up to 4 million Americans living with the disease.
A recent study from the United Kingdom found a significant uptick in autoimmune diseases over a 19-year span, with one of the most pronounced surges coming in new diagnoses of Sjögren’s. The research echoed earlier findings in the U.S.
We don’t know the reason for this rise in Sjögren’s, but it’s likely the product of multiple factors, including more effective screening mechanisms, an increased awareness of Sjögren’s, and perhaps our aging population. Environmental triggers for the disease may also be a driver.
At the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, our investigators are studying many aspects of Sjögren’s, which currently lacks effective therapies. If we can better understand this illness and pinpoint its causes, we can help develop more effective ways to help the people who live with it.
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James, a physician-scientist, is executive vice president and chief medical officer of the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation. Cohen is a marathoner and OMRF’s senior vice president and general counsel. Submit your health questions to contact@omrf.org.
