Literature review: the prevalence and indicators of sjögren's syndrome in juveniles

Abstract

Sjögren's Syndrome (SS), a chronic auto-immune disorder most frequently diagnosed in women over the age of 40, is becoming progressively more evident in juvenile patients. Coupled with the fact that there is no set diagnostic criteria for diagnosing SS in the pediatric population and the finding that SS manifests differently in pediatric and juvenile patients than in adults, diagnosis in younger patients is often difficult. This review seeks to address this situation by examining proposed diagnostic criteria, advances made in identifying diagnostic markers for juvenile Sjögren's Syndrome, and viable treatment methods for both primary and secondary SS. Although a wide spectrum of possible manifestations of juvenile SS as well as its low prevalence may complicate research studies, the knowledge gained will serve to better organize future research while assisting clinicians and benefiting patients.