Margarida Maia, PhD, science writer —

People with peripheral neuropathy co-occurring with primary Sjögren’s syndrome may see their symptoms ease or even disappear with immunosuppressive therapy, a study found. Researchers observed that Sjögren’s patients who tested positive for certain self-reactive antibodies or had too high levels of proteins called globulins in the blood were at…

People who have a parent or sibling with an autoimmune disease are nearly six times as likely to develop primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS) than those who have no immediate family with such health issues, a meta-analysis study has found. Other risk factors for pSS include a history of pregnancy,…

Sugar metabolism — all chemical reactions involved in making or breaking down glucose, or blood sugar — is overly active in B-cells, a type of immune cell implicated in Sjögren’s syndrome, and may provide a target for developing treatments, a study suggests. The study, “mTORC1-GLUT1-mediated glucose metabolism drives…

Cytotoxic CD8+ T-cells, a type of immune cells, build up in the salivary glands of the lips of patients with severe Sjögren’s syndrome, where they may kill the epithelial cells that line the glands, according to a new study. As these cells die, the glands no longer can produce…

A protein called ETS1 is present in large amounts in cells in the salivary glands of patients with Sjögren’s syndrome, where it may turn on a switch to make more of MMP-9, another protein that has been implicated in the early development of the disease, a study found. Researchers…

Ten new genetic regions, or loci, were found to be linked to an increased risk of Sjögren’s syndrome in people whose ancestry traces to Europe, according to a genome-wide association study (GWAS). These findings nearly double the total number of known risk loci from 12 to 22, in what…

Punctal plugs, which are inserted into the tear ducts to keep the eyes lubricated, are a mainstay of treatment for dry eye in people with primary Sjögren’s syndrome, a South Korean study found. The approach may be combined with additional treatments, but appropriate therapies will depend on the presence…

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which occurs when breathing slows or stops repeatedly for short times during sleep, is common among people with primary Sjögren’s syndrome, a study found. Since OSA is associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular problems, fatigue, and other medical problems, physicians should monitor all people with…

Certain proteins in saliva are found at significantly different levels in mice modeling Sjögren’s syndrome as compared with healthy animals, and may serve as promising biomarkers for the chronic autoimmune disorder, a study found. If the findings are confirmed in humans, they could advance a method to diagnose Sjögren’s using…

A salivary gland biopsy on the lower lip may be considered a safe procedure for diagnosing Sjögren’s syndrome, with relatively few and mild complications, a study found. According to its authors, proper management and follow-up may reduce the risk of complications from the biopsy and help in the recovery…