ABOUT SJOGREN'S
This section reviews the fundamental characteristics of Sjogren's disease.
Sjogren's is never limited to sicca (dryness). This section shows why comprehensive Sjogren's care always goes beyond sicca. To provide comprehensive care, clinicians must understand that Sjogren's is a serious multi-system disease.
What Is Sjogren's?
This page gives a basic introduction to Sjogren's disease.
Complex
This page explains why Sjogren's patients can look so different from one another and why a treatment that works for one patient may not work for another.
Common
Sjogren’s impacts about 3-4 million people in the U.S., or about 1% of the population. This page explains why so many people with Sjogren's remain undiagnosed.
Serious
This page explains why people with Sjogren's live with a high burden of disease that goes far beyond sicca (dryness) manifestations. In some cases, Sjogren's can be life-threatening. Patients often experience a profound reduction in quality of life, largely related severe fatigue.
Mortality
This page describes the causes of premature mortality (early death) in Sjogrens and how some of these can be prevented or reduced by ongoing monitoring and early intervention.
Systemic
This page describes the multitude of systemic (non-sicca) manifestations that occur in Sjogren's. Learn why every patient, regardless of symptoms or SSA status, should be routinely monitored for systemic manifestations.
ESSDAI Manifestations Of Sjogren's
This page describes the ​EULAR Sjogren's Syndrome Disease Activity Index (ESSDAI) in detail, including how this tool is used by researchers and clinicians.
Non-ESSDAI Manifestations Of Sjogren's
This page describes measurable systemic manifestations that tend to be overlooked because they are not included in the ESSDAI. It is important for clinicians to consider non-ESSDAI manifestations when diagnosing and caring for people with Sjogren's.
Sicca (Dryness)
Because Sjogren's is always systemic, it should never be referred to as "sicca syndrome". This page explains the basics of sicca and links to resources such as the Oral and Ocular (eye) Clinical Practice Guidelines.
Sjogren's Is Always Systemic
This page explains the limitations of the ESSDAI and why this research tool paints an incomplete picture of Sjogren’s disease activity, damage, and severity.
General Systemic Manifestations
This page explains why challenging symptoms such as fatigue, cognitive dysfunction (brain fog), pain, and flu-like malaise should be considered systemic disease manifestations. They are often neglected because they are poorly researched and have no standard biomarkers to measure them.
Immune Comorbidities
This page reviews immune system comorbidities found in Sjogren’s, such as rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and celiac disease. When Sjogren's disease co-occurs with another autoimmune or rheumatic disease, it should not be called "secondary Sjogren's".
General Comorbidities
​This page reviews the general (non-immune-mediated) comorbidities that occur at increased rates in people with Sjogren’s, such as cardiovascular disease and infection.
Updated 01-17-2024