Sjögren's Syndrome and Devic's Disease: A Synchronised Saga

Devic's disease, commonly known as neuromyelitis optica (NMO), is a rare relapsing autoimmune illness of the central nervous system. Occasionally, it is associated with other autoimmune diseases such as Sjögren's syndrome (SS). Dry mouth and dry eyes are two symptoms of SS, a chronic autoimmune condition marked by inflammation and dysfunction of the exocrine gland. While SS primarily affects the exocrine glands, it can also manifest with a range of extraglandular features, including neurological manifestations, as in our case where the patient initially presented with neurological symptoms and was diagnosed with NMO. Owing to the persistent relapses along with sicca symptoms that occurred late, SS was diagnosed on further evaluation. Although the association of SS with NMO is not very common, the initial presentation of SS with neurological symptoms, as in our case, is what makes it more unique.