Symptoms of Sjögren’s syndrome, including dry eyes and mouth, were observed among 16 people with multiple sclerosis (MS), three of whom met the diagnostic criteria for Sjögren’s in a recent study.
Given this low number, however, it’s unclear if there is a true association between the two diseases, the research team from Brazil said.
The study, “Dry Oral and Ocular Manifestations and Autoantibodies Characteristic of Primary Sjogren’s Syndrome in Multiple Sclerosis,” was published in Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders.
Sjögren’s syndrome is an autoimmune disorder wherein the glands that produce tears and saliva are mistakenly attacked, leading to the characteristic symptoms of dry eyes and mouth.
MS is also an autoimmune disorder, characterized by the body’s attack on myelin — the protective fatty substance surrounding nerve cells — leading to demyelination.
A link between MS and Sjögren’s has been suggested, and the two diseases share some clinical signs. For example, some autoantibodies — those produced as part of the immune system malfunction in an autoimmune disease — that are characteristic of Sjögren’s can be seen in MS patients, and some Sjögren’s patients have demyelinating nerve lesions that look like those seen in MS.
The extent and nature of the relationship between the two conditions is poorly understood, however.
A research team in Brazil evaluated the presence of characteristic Sjögren’s symptoms — dry eyes and dry mouth — in MS patients between the ages of 18–65.
Overall, 202 patients completed a survey assessing dry eye and mouth symptoms, as well as the use of medications that could influence these symptoms.
A total of 43 patients had one or both symptoms and 27 were excluded due to co-existing conditions or medications that could cause the symptoms. The remaining 16 patients, 14 of whom were female, were selected to undergo diagnostic testing for Sjögren’s.
“To read this article in its entirety click this link: MS Patients May Meet Criteria for Sjögren’s Diagnosis, Study Reports”