Sjögren's disease

Sjögren's disease, previously called Sjögren syndrome, is a long term autoimmune disease that primarily affects the body's exocrine glands, especially the lacrimal and salivary glands, causing chronic dry eyes and dry mouth. A 2021 patient survey found the most burdensome symptoms to be fatigue, affecting 79 percent of patients, dry eyes at 75 percent, dry mouth at 73 percent, joint pain at 65 percent, sleep disturbance at 64 percent, eye discomfort at 60 percent, muscle pain at 56 percent, and cognitive difficulties at 54 percent. Its exact cause remains unclear, though evidence points to a combination of genetic predisposition and an environmental trigger such as a viral or bacterial infection. The disease can occur on its own or alongside other connective tissue disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, and in some patients it also affects the lungs, kidneys, and nervous system beyond the moisture producing glands. It falls within the medical specialties of immunology and rheumatology.