"Dry oral and ocular manifestations and autoantibodies characteristic of primary Sjögren's syndrome in multiple sclerosis"

• Published in: Multiple sclerosis and related disorders 2022-06, Vol.62, p.103783-103783, Article 103783
• Main Authors: Hora, João Sergio Ignacio, da Silva, Maria Clara Rangel, Braga, Cícero Luiz Souza, Loureiro, Arli Moreira, Alves, Adriana Terezinha Neves Novellino, Lourenço, Simone de Queiroz Chaves, Vasconcelos, Cláudia Cristina Ferreira
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Autoantibodies; Keratoconjunctivitis sicca; Multiple sclerosis; Sjogren's syndrome; Xerophthalmia; Xerostomia
• ISSN: 2211-0348; 2211-0356
• DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2022.103783

•Association between multiple sclerosis and Sjogren syndrome is remains one question to be clarified.•Multiple sclerosis patients may have dry symptoms.•Multiple sclerosis patients may fulfil primary Sjogren syndrome criteria.•In Leterature the frequency of primary Sjogren syndrome among multiple sclerosis patients is variable. The relationship between primary Sjögren syndrome (pSS) and demyelinating diseases is still not well understood. These diseases seem to coexist amidst autoimmunity, raising questions about clinical characteristics, relationship with immunomodulatory treatment, and possible common immunological background underlying their pathogenesis. calculate the frequency of dry oral and ocular manifestations and autoantibodies characteristic of primary Sjögren's Syndrome in Multiple Sclerosis. 202 patients with multiple sclerosis answered a questionnaire to identify complaints of xerostomia and xerophthalmia, according to diagnostic criteria for primary Sjögren's syndrome; 43 answered positively to at least one question; 27 had comorbidities or used drugs that cause dry symptoms and were excluded; 16 patients were selected for examinations for oral, ocular and serum anti-Ro/SS-A autoantibody evaluation. Eleven (68.75%) patients complained of xerostomia; 14 (87.5%) of xerophthalmia. Sialometry  1 in three (23.1%). Schirmer test was  5 in three (18.8%). Anti-Ro/SS-A > 10 UI/mm in two (12.5%). Three (1,49%) patients met current criteria for primary Sjögren's syndrome. Patients with MS may report xerostomia and/or xerophthalmia even in the absence of comorbidities and use of medications capable of causing these symptoms, which may fulfill the diagnostic criteria for pSS. In this study, the frequency of pSS according to current criteria was within the range observed in the literature with older criteria. But the question remains whether the association between these diseases is fortuitous or whether there is a pathogenic link.