News

The content of mesenchymal stem cells — cells that can make several cell types, including cartilage and bone — improved saliva and tear flow, increased tissue regeneration, and reduced immune cell infiltration and autoantibody production in a mouse model of Sjogren’s syndrome, a study found. The study, “…

Artificial intelligence may complement — or even replace — manual search for researchers performing literature reviews, a new study suggests. The study, which used primary Sjögren’s syndrome as an example, also points out a need for more research on how the condition affects the skin. The study, “…

Oral rebamipide, a gastroprotective medication approved in some countries, may slow the progression of Sjögren’s syndrome by increasing the number of regulatory B- and T-cells and reducing the production of inflammatory molecules in the salivary glands and spleen, according to research in a mouse model of the disease. The study,…

Next month’s annual conference of the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) in Washington, D.C., couldn’t come at a better time, says Marshall Summar, MD, chairman of NORD’s board of directors. “The pace of discovery in rare diseases has gone from brisk to hypersonic,” Summar told Bionews Services, publisher…

A study in Korean patients found five new gene variants associated with the development of Sjögren’s syndrome, which may provide biomarkers for precision medicine, the scientists said. The research, “Variants at potential loci associated with Sjogren’s syndrome in Koreans: A genetic association study,” appeared in the journal…

A non-invasive assessment of salivary gland damage by ultrasound may be added to current criteria for primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS) diagnosis without lowering their accuracy, according to a large clinical practice study. The inexpensive assessment may replace invasive tests that are unavailable in some centers, which improves the feasibility…

Routine examinations of patients with primary Sjögren’s syndrome should include cognitive function tests to assess the presence of impairments, a review study recommends. The study, “Cognitive Function in Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome: A Systematic Review,” was published in Brain Sciences. Sjögren’s syndrome is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized…

Psychiatric disorders including depression, anxiety, and sleep problems are more commonly diagnosed in people with primary Sjögren’s syndrome than in the general population or in those with another rheumatic condition, a study found. Titled, “Increased risks of psychiatric disorders in patients with primary Sjögren’s syndrome —…

Rare diseases deeply affect not only the children who experience them, but also their healthy brothers and sisters, as their parents can attest.    Two entries in November’s “Disorder: The Rare Disease Film Festival” will focus on what siblings go through, according to the San Francisco festival’s co-founder,…

Developing gene therapies for rare diseases is one thing. Creating gene-edited “designer babies” is quite another. German legal expert Timo Minssen outlined the potentially explosive ethical landmines surrounding such issues during a recent talk at the New York Genome Center. Minssen directs the Center for Advanced Studies in…