Kidney Damage in Sjogrens Syndrome Primary Sjogrens syndrome is a chronic autoimmune disease that occurs by itself and is not associated with another underlying autoimmune disorder such as rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, or lupus. The hallmark clinical features of Sjogrens syndrome are dry eyes and dry mouth, although involvement of other organ systems is estimated to develop in up to 50% of patients. One of the major organs that may be affected by Sjogrens syndrome is the kidney. The two most common forms of kidney disease in people with Sjogrens syndrome are interstitial nephritis (an inflammation of the kidneys involving the interstitial tissues surrounding the glomeruli) and glomerulonephritis (an acute inflammatory condition usually caused by an immune response). A recent study published in Arthritis & Rheumatism investigated the outcome of clinically significant kidney involvement in a large group of 715 patients with primary Sjogrens syndrome in Greece. All of the patients were women with a median age of 52 years at the time of entry into the study. The median duration of Sjogrens syndrome from the time of initial diagnosis was 11 years. All of the patients were evaluated for the presence of clinically significant kidney involvement which was defined as either interstitial nephritis or glomerulonephritis. The major findings of this study were as follows: Clinically significant kidney involvement developed in 35 of the 715 (5%) patients with Sjogrens syndrome. Of the 35 patients who developed kidney disease, 17 had glomerulonephritis, 13 had interstitial nephritis, and 5 developed both conditions. Clinical outcomes for the patients who developed significant kidney involvement showed that: 11 patients developed chronic kidney failure 9 patients developed non-Hodgkins lymphoma The estimated overall 5-year survival rate after the diagnosis of significant kidney disease was 85%. A significant advantage in terms of survival was noted for the Sjogrens syndrome patients without evidence of kidney involvement. In summary, this study is in agreement with previously published reports that people with primary Sjogrens syndrome are at risk for developing clinically significant kidney disease. The risk, however, is relatively low as evidenced by the fact that only 35 of the 715 (5%) patients with Sjgrens syndrome developed interstitial nephritis or glomerulonephritis. Patients with primary Sjogrens syndrome should be followed closely for clinical evidence of kidney disease by their healthcare provider. Early detection and treatment of kidney disease is crucial for preventing potentially life-threatening complications due to severe kidney damage.
Posted on: Tue, 29 Apr 2014 21:26:36 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015