News

Cash-strapped governments across the 28-member European Union are struggling to control runaway healthcare expenditures — at exactly the same time as the promise of new but expensive therapies to treat rare diseases has never been greater. That’s the paradox faced by pharmaceutical companies as well as patient advocacy groups in…

Patients with primary Sjogren’s syndrome (pSS) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) share their gut microbial composition, which is different from the general population. Oral microbial composition, however, in different in both patient groups. The research, “Shared gut, but distinct oral microbiota composition in primary Sjögren’s syndrome…

Difficulties with engaging in sex — including arousal, lubrication, orgasm, and satisfaction — are significant in women with primary Sjögren’s syndrome compared to healthy women, and sexual function decreases as disease duration increases, a study reports. The findings, “Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome Adversely Affects the Female Sexual Function Assessed by…

A combination of leflunomide and hydroxychloroquine significantly reduced disease activity, increased salivary flow, and improved patient-perceived health in patients with primary Sjögren’s syndrome, a pilot trial showed. Findings of the trial were revealed at the recent American College of Rheumatology 2018 Meeting, in Chicago. Timothy Radstake, MD, PhD, from the …

Lip biopsy increases the sensitivity of Sjögren’s syndrome diagnosis and is a key measure in the widely accepted diagnostic criteria, according to a multicenter Argentinian study. Findings of the study were presented in a poster, “Diagnostic Performance of Labial Salivary Gland Biopsy, Serological and Clinical Data in…

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 …

High levels of five proteins in tears correlate with the severity of dry eye signs in patients with primary Sjögren’s syndrome, implicating a role for these proteins in the disease, a study shows. The study, “Severity of clinical dry eye manifestations influences protein expression in tear fluid of patients…

With the U.S. midterm elections now less than two weeks away, patient advocacy groups are solidly focused on a range of hot-button issues, from the Orphan Drug Tax Credit and affordable health insurance to future funding for rare disease research. Yet “whether Democrats take over the House or Senate,…

Abnormal marginal zone B (MZB)-cells in the lacrimal glands of the eye appear to drive the production of autoantibodies and cause the chronic “dry eye” symptoms patients with Sjogren’s syndrome experience, a study in mice suggests. The research, “Dysregulated Marginal Zone B Cell Compartment in a Mouse…

While rare, patients with primary Sjogren’s syndrome can develop central nervous system disease due to involvement of large blood vessels, rather than small or medium-sized blood vessels, according to a new case study. The study, “Cerebral Large-Vessel Vasculitis in Sjogren’s Syndrome: Utility of High-Resolution Magnetic Resonance Vessel Wall Imaging,”…