[Sjögren's syndrome: therapeutic trends]. / La sindrome di Sjoegren: attualità terapeutiche.

ABSTRACT

Sjögren syndrome is an autoimmune, mostly benign disorder characterized by functional impairment of exocrine glands, especially of the salivary and lacrimal glands. Symptomatic treatment with recourse to hygienic measures and topical therapy permits to attenuate secondary disorders due to hyposecretion. Among drugs used, hydrochloroquine has proved apt to bring about marked improvement in some laboratory test results although it has scarce effect on the clinical picture. Corticosteroids and immunodepressant agents are indicated in severe forms of the disease with accompanying extraglandular and systemic manifestations. Some authors have reported interesting findings concerning the usefulness of a low lipid diet which is said to reduce inflammation and lymphocyte infiltration of the glands involved; these findings deserve further research.