Sjogren's syndrome is an autoimmune disease that can mimic some of the symptoms of MS such as fatigue and joint pain. However, Sjogren's syndrome is known to cause dry mouth and eyes, which are not associated with MS.
Features found in common between the two disorders include symptoms of lesions of the brain, spinal cord and optic tract, the detection of autoantibodies, such as antinuclear, anti-Ro, anti-La and the prevalence of MRI abnormalities such as periventricular and subcortical lesions.
Sjögren's Syndrome and MS: Similarities and Differences
The conditions can also have related symptoms. While Sjögren's syndrome can cause dry eyes and mouth, MS can lead to vision problems or eye pain as well as swallowing problems. Additionally, both conditions can cause fatigue and numbness or tingling sensations.
These include fibromyalgia and vitamin B12 deficiency, muscular dystrophy (MD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease), migraine, hypo-thyroidism, hypertension, Beçhets, Arnold-Chiari deformity, and mitochondrial disorders, although your neurologist can usually rule them out quite easily.
MRI of patients with primary Sjögren syndrome has shown multiple areas of increased signal intensity in the periventricular and subcortical white matter (WM) on FLAIR and T2-weighted images [7–10]. These findings have been observed in both patients with and those without CNS impairment [7–10].
Sjögren's syndrome can cause nerve damage which regulates the coordination of heartbeat, respiration, and gastric motility. This is called an “autonomic neuropathy.” Examples of symptoms include lightheadedness when standing, decreased or increased sweating, and feeling full despite eating small meals.
SUMMARY: Brain MR imaging abnormalities in primary Sjögren syndrome (pSS) are generally discrete white matter lesions.
Some conditions that doctors may commonly misdiagnose as MS include migraine, RIS, spondylopathy, and neuropathy. To accurately diagnose MS, doctors must rule out conditions with similar symptoms and look for signs and symptoms specific to MS. As such, the process of diagnosing MS may be lengthy and complex.
Some of the most common mimics include migraine and chronic cerebrovascular disease, according to Dr Schiess. Vasculitic autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and Sjögren's syndrome can also result in white matter abnormalities on MRI.
The diagnosis of MS cannot be made solely on the basis of MRI because there are other diseases that cause lesions in the CNS that look like those caused by MS. And even people without any disease — particularly the elderly — can have spots on the brain that are similar to those seen in MS.
The most commonly reported symptoms of Sjögren's syndrome are a dry mouth and eyes, which can lead to other associated symptoms. However, these symptoms can be common in old age, and most people with dry eyes or a dry mouth do not have Sjögren's syndrome.
This condition is frequently associated with other autoimmune disorders including rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Sjogren syndrome is managed by replacing moisture at affected glandular sites and diminishing the autoimmune response locally as well as systemically.
Overview. Sjogren's (SHOW-grins) syndrome is a disorder of your immune system identified by its two most common symptoms — dry eyes and a dry mouth. The condition often accompanies other immune system disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.
Certain autoimmune diseases.
You have a slightly higher risk of developing MS if you have other autoimmune disorders such as thyroid disease, pernicious anemia, psoriasis, type 1 diabetes or inflammatory bowel disease.
Skin problems that occur with the condition may present as: xerosis, or dry, rough skin. small “blood spots” or purpura on the lower legs due to vasculitis, or inflammation of the blood vessels. vasculitic skin lesions that may appear as weals, lumps, blisters, or ulcers.
An MRI scanner uses a strong magnetic field to create a detailed image of inside your brain and spinal cord. It's very accurate and can pinpoint the exact location and size of any inflammation, damage or scarring (lesions). MRI scans confirm a diagnosis in over 90 per cent of people with MS.
People should consider the diagnosis of MS if they have one or more of these symptoms: vision loss in one or both eyes. acute paralysis in the legs or along one side of the body. acute numbness and tingling in a limb.
Misinterpretation of abnormal MRI findings is a frequent contributor to misdiagnosis of MS. One study found that only 11% of patients who were referred to a MS subspecialty center based primarily on an abnormal MRI were subsequently diagnosed with MS.
Fibromyalgia is often diagnosed and managed by a rheumatologist, which is an internal medicine doctor who has specialized training in joint and musculoskeletal diseases. Multiple sclerosis is diagnosed and managed by a neurologist, which is a doctor who specializes in treating disorders of the brain and nervous system.
The CNS manifestations of pSS include diffuse abnormalities (psychiatric changes, encephalopathy, aseptic meningitis, and cognitive difficulties/dementia) and focal or multifocal involvement of the brain and spinal cord leading to motor and sensory deficits, seizures, aphasia, and optic neuropathy [12, 31].
The disorder can affect the nervous system, muscles, joints, kidneys, lungs, blood vessels, liver, and pancreas. Sjögren's syndrome is a long-lasting disorder that affects females more often than men.
Affected patients may also experience complex neurological symptoms characterized by extremity paresthesia and pain as well as dizziness and presyncope.
Over time, the immune system for people with Sjogren's syndrome can damage other parts of your body, including joints, nerves, skin, and organs such as kidneys, liver, and lungs. These long-term consequences can be quite debilitating.
Sjögren patients can suffer from severe neuropathic pain, with small-fiber neuropathy causing lancinating or burning pain which can disproportionately affect the proximal torso or extremities, and the face (ie, in a "non-length-dependent distribution").