Pulmonary disorders associated with Sjogren's syndrome

Abstract

Pulmonary disorders occur in 25 to 47 per cent of the patients with Sjogren's Syndrome. These are of two types: 1. related to the major connective tissue disorders which commonly accompany this syndrome, and 2. secondary to the peculiar underlying pathology of Sjogren's Syndrome i.e. sicca disorders of the lung. The latter is the more frequent type, occurring mainly in patients with protected sicca complex unaccompanied by a systemic connective tissue disorder, and consists of chronic bronchitis, subsegmental atelectasis, pneumonia, bronchiectasis, lymphoproliferative pulmonary infiltrates and chronic interstitial pneumonitis which may lead to pulmonary fibrosis. 21 cases of Sjogren's Syndrome, 9 of whom had evidence of pulmonary abnormality, are presented, including a case of interstitial pneumonitis leading to diffuse interstitial pulmonary fibrosis. A review of the literature is included.