Author Archives: Alice Melao

The female sex hormone estrogen appears to protect women from primary Sjögren’s syndrome, a finding that provides new insights into the development of this condition. Specifically, the case-control study demonstrated that women with Sjögren’s syndrome have a lower estrogen exposure in their lifetime compared to sicca women (those…

Cyporin N, a new formulation of cyclosporin A, provides faster relief of chronic dry eye triggered by primary Sjögren’s syndrome than Restasis, results from a Phase 3 trial show. The study, “Evaluation of the Efficacy and Safety of A Novel 0.05% Cyclosporin A Topical Nanoemulsion in…

Sjögren’s syndrome patients are three times more likely to have thyroid disease, both autoimmune and non-autoimmune, than controls, a review of eight published studies shows. The study, “Increased risk of thyroid disease in patients with Sjogren’s syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis,” was published in PeerJ. Sjögren’s…

Gout — a form of inflammatory arthritis that causes sudden attacks of severe pain and swelling around the joints — increases the risk for Sjögren’s syndrome among elderly patients, a U.S.-based, large-scale study shows. The study, “The Risk of Sjogren’s Syndrome in the Older adults with Gout: A…

Higher-than-normal levels of chromium in the soil seem to be associated with an increased prevalence of Sjögren’s syndrome in Taiwan, suggesting chromium as a possible environmental risk for the condition. The study, “Increased prevalence of Sjogren’s syndrome in where soils contain high levels…

Vaginal dryness in premenopausal women with primary Sjögren’s syndrome does not change the normal vaginal bacterial composition, a study reveals. The study, “Normal vaginal microbiome in women with primary Sjögren’s syndrome-associated vaginal dryness,” was published in the journal Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. Immune cells…

Sonoelastography, a fast and non-invasive imaging technique that detects increases in tissue rigidity in salivary glands, may help to diagnosis of primary Sjögren’s syndrome, a study suggests. The study, “Is sonoelastography a helpful method of evaluation to diagnose Sjögren’s syndrome?,” was published in the International…

MeiraGTx recently acquired global rights over an investigational gene therapy called AAV-AQP1 being developed to treat the excessive dry mouth and eyes experienced by patients with Sjögren’s syndrome. The announcement comes after an exclusive licensing agreement with the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), an arm of the …

Physicians in Cincinnati have reported the rare case of a woman whose first symptom of primary Sjögren’s syndrome was intracranial bleeding. While rare — only two similar cases have been described to date — increasing awareness about the neurological manifestations of the disease could lead to prompt treatment of these…

Researchers have identified genital ulcers as an initial symptom of primary Sjögren’s syndrome for the first time in a recent case report. The report, “Lipschütz Genital Ulceration as Initial Manifestation of Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome,” appeared in Case Reports in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Women affected by…