Case of renal sjögren's syndrome in elderly: A rare age with a rarer presentation

Abstract

Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is a chronic autoimmune disorder characterized by lymphocytic infiltration of exocrine glands, leading to dryness of the mouth and eyes. Although it can affect all age groups, it is relatively less common in older adults. Renal involvement is a rare, and as initial presentation even rarer reported, a serious complication of SS, which can have a significant impact on patients' quality of life, functional and physical status, and their overall survival. This is a case report of an elderly male patient who presented to us with rapidly progressive renal dysfunction and uremic symptoms, who was diagnosed as a case of SS with a high possibility of renal involvement. However, the patient succumbed to sepsis before the initiation of disease-modifying therapy. This case report emphasizes an extensive workup of unexplained renal dysfunction, even in geriatric patients, so that potentially manageable conditions like SS can be caught early, and allow early initiation of disease-modifying therapies that can slow down progression, and prevent life-threatening exacerbations of such diseases, which overall will reduce morbidity burden and improve quality of life of elderly patients.