Sjogren's Syndrome and the Kidney

Sjogren’s syndrome is autoimmune disease affecting all exocrine glands. Its man clinical manifestation is the sicca syndrome. Histopathological investigation reveals lympho-plasmocytic infiltration of glandular structures, including lacrimal and salivary glands, liver, pancreas, etc. Renal involvement is present in less than 10% of the cases - usually tubulo-interstitial lesions with distal tubular acidosis, nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, proximal tubular acidosis to acquired Fanconi syndrome, nephrocalcinosis and nephrolithiasis. Less frequently glomerular lesions are observed, including membranoproliferative, focal and segmental sclerosing, IgA and membranous nephritis. Overlap syndromes with systemic lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune rheumatic diseases have been described. We present a series of 12 patients with Sjogren’s syndrome and different types of renal involvement.

Keywords: Sjogren syndrome, renal involvement, nephrocalcinosis, nephrolithiasis, glomerulonephritis.