Renal involvement in primary Sjögren's syndrome

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Rheumatology
• Immunology

Background:

• Systemic sclerosis (SS) is a prevalent, underdiagnosed systemic autoimmune disease.
• It primarily targets epithelial tissues but frequently impacts renal function.
• Renal involvement in SS can manifest as tubulointerstitial nephritis or glomerulopathy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the prevalence of renal involvement in systemic sclerosis.
• To discuss the clinical presentation and pathogenesis of kidney disease in SS.
• To outline current treatment strategies for renal SS.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies on renal manifestations of systemic sclerosis.
• Analysis of disease mechanisms involving B cells, T cells, and Th17 subtypes.
• Synthesis of information on clinical features, diagnosis, and management.

Main Results:

• Renal complications in SS present with diverse clinical features, ranging from overt to occult.
• Pathogenesis involves both direct epithelial damage and immune complex deposition.
• Th17 cells play a notable role in the immune-mediated epithelial disease.

Conclusions:

• Renal involvement is a significant complication of systemic sclerosis.
• Understanding the pathogenesis is crucial for developing targeted therapies.
• Comprehensive management strategies are needed to address renal SS effectively.