In Sjogren’s disease, the immune system attacks the body’s moisture-producing glands, leading to systemic symptoms that include dry mouth, dry eyes, fatigue and musculoskeletal pain. In RA, the body attacks the cells that protect joints, leading to pain and swelling that makes it hard for people to walk, or even move. Many people suffer from both diseases, but which one typically comes first?
Using data on participants with both diseases in the Autoimmune Registry, we found that RA came first for 37% of participants, and Sjogren's for 20%. Participants reporting RA before Sjogren's were 34 years old, on average, and they were diagnosed with Sjogren's about 5 years after their RA diagnosis.
More research is needed, and participants in the Autoimmune Registry are the key to that research. The Autoimmune Registry has more information, including a full list of symptoms, for Sjogren’s syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis.
