Antimalarials in Sjogren's syndrome - The Greek experience

Manoussakis, MN; Moutsopoulos, HM

dc.contributor.author	Manoussakis, MN	en
dc.contributor.author	Moutsopoulos, HM	en
dc.date.accessioned	2014-03-01T01:45:04Z
dc.date.available	2014-03-01T01:45:04Z
dc.date.issued	1996	en
dc.identifier.issn	0961-2033	en
dc.identifier.uri	https://dspace.lib.ntua.gr/xmlui/handle/123456789/24538
dc.subject	Sjogren's syndrome	en
dc.subject	autoimmune disorders	en
dc.subject	treatment	en
dc.subject	antimalarials	en
dc.subject	hydroxychloroquine	en
dc.subject.classification	Rheumatology	en
dc.title	Antimalarials in Sjogren's syndrome - The Greek experience	en
heal.type	journalArticle	en
heal.language	English	en
heal.publicationDate	1996	en
heal.abstract	Sjogren's syndrome (SS) is a chronic autoimmune rheumatic disorder characterized by lymphocytic infiltration and destruction of exocrine glands, mainly of salivary and lacrimal glands, leading to dryness of mouth and eyes. It can occur either alone (primary SS) or in association with almost every systemic autoimmune rheumatic SS). Usually, SS patients have slowly progressive disease confined in exocrine glands, however, in approximately one third of primary SS patients the disorder presents a systemic and progressive course with involvement of diverse extraglandular sites and in a small but significant number of patients with lymphoid neoplasia development. Although the aetiology of SS remains unknown, chronic immune system stimulation is thought to play a central role in the pathogenesis of the disorder, as illustrated by several indices of immunological hyperactivity, including various autoantibodies, polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia and circulating paraproteins. To date, treatment of SS remains largely empirical and symptomatic, and no clinical trial has been proved capable to change the course of the disease. Hydroxychloroquine has been successfully applied for the treatment of arthralgias, myalgias and general constitutive symptoms of SS patients. In an initial small open study, hydroxychloroquine administration has been shown to improve features of immunological hyperreactivity, such as hypergammaglobulinaemia and autoantibody levels. However, large prospective double-blind studies are still needed to assess the long-term efficacy of hydroxychloroquine in preventing extraglandular involvement and lymphoma development in primary SS patients.	en
heal.publisher	STOCKTON PRESS	en
heal.journalName	LUPUS	en
dc.identifier.isi	ISI:A1996UX77900007	en
dc.identifier.volume	5	en
dc.identifier.spage	S28	en
dc.identifier.epage	S30	en