Secondary Sjögren's syndrome in a rheumatoid arthritis patient: A case report and review of literature

Abstract

Secondary Sjogren's syndrome (sSS) is a medical condition that occurs in individuals with autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis. It predominantly affects females rather than males. We present a case of a 32-year-old female with a 3-year history of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who presented to the internal medicine and rheumatology clinic with several complaints, including swelling and tenderness in her left jaw, dry mouth (xerostomia), irritated eyes (xerophthalmia), severe joint pain, and a decreased in saliva production. The blood tests demonstrate the presence of anti-SSA and anti-SSB autoantibodies and elevation of total leukocyte count (TLC), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, indicating inflammation. A high-frequency ultrasound confirmed the diagnosis of Secondary Sjogren's syndrome grade II, specifically affecting the left parotid gland (PG).

Keywords

• Sjögren's syndrome
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Sonographic findings
• Salivary glands