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Introduction to Sjogren's Syndrome
Major Characteristics of Sjogren's Disease
The two primary clinical manifestations of Sjogren's syndrome are:
- Dry mouth (xerostomia) - caused by reduced saliva production
- Dry eyes (xerophthalmia) - caused by reduced production of tears by the lacrimal glands, also called keratoconjunctiva sicca.
Dryness in Sjogren's syndrome is not generally due to the destruction of the salivary and lacrimal glands. Most biopsy reports show that there is a remnant of the gland but that the tissue in that remnant is inflamed and dysfunctional apparently due to substances that are released in the inflammatory process. This causes a loss of viscosity which increases the friction in areas that the saliva and tears should be lubricating. As a result of the increased friction, the patient experiences chronic inflammation, abrasions of the cornea, (lack of tears) and severe dental problems (lack of saliva).
