What are the treatments for Sjögren's syndrome?

Sjögren's syndrome is a precursor to rheumatic diseases. The early rheumatic symptoms are not obvious, mostly joint pain and swelling. You should pay more attention to it, otherwise it is easy to cause Sjögren's syndrome. This disease is mostly caused by low immunity and viral infection, and is often manifested by symptoms such as dry mouth, dry eyes, and possible organ damage. A healthy body is the backing of life. Many patients are afraid of Sjögren's syndrome, believing that the disease has a very serious impact and they cannot live a normal life. So what are the symptoms of this disease and how to treat it?

(1) Mesenchymal stem cell therapy. This treatment involves extracting mesenchymal stem cells from an embryo or bone marrow (someone else's, not the patient's own), culturing them, and then injecting them into the patient's body via an infusion bottle. It is a simple, convenient and painless treatment option. The study found that this therapy exerts its therapeutic effect through mechanisms such as stabilizing and regulating the immune system, regulating lymphocyte function and differentiation, inhibiting abnormal activation of the immune system, and repairing damaged exocrine glands (rectifying chaos and restoring social work order).

At present, in addition to Sjögren's syndrome, certain results have been achieved in the treatment of rheumatic and immunological diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus and scleroderma (systemic sclerosis), which is a beneficial supplementary treatment method besides traditional treatment. At present, its practical applications in China are gradually increasing. Our department has also collaborated with Sun Yat-sen University, the Cell Therapy Center of Lingnan Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University and other platforms to conduct extensive practice in the use of mesenchymal stem cells to treat a variety of rheumatic and immune diseases, and has accumulated a lot of practical experience.

(2) Other new drugs. Drugs such as rituximab and anti-CD-22 monoclonal antibodies were originally used to treat blood tumors, lymphomas, and systemic lupus erythematosus. In recent years, some researchers have tried to use them for Sjögren's syndrome, with certain efficacy. But it is generally only used for patients for whom traditional treatments have failed.

(3) Treatment methods such as plasma exchange, immunoadsorption, and bone marrow transplantation can no longer be considered “new methods”. In recent years, some people have applied them to Sjögren’s syndrome, but generally only to cases that have not responded to general treatments. They are currently in the exploratory stage.