Living with Sjögren’s: Occurrence and Impact of Neurological Manifestations
Matt Makara1, Lane Destro1
1Sjögren's Foundation
Objective:
To examine the occurrence of neurological manifestations and impact on quality of life (QoL) among U.S.-based adults with Sjögren’s disease (SjD).
Background:
SjD is a serious and systemic autoimmune disease affecting the entire body, including the nervous system. 
Design/Methods:
An online survey was administered August-September 2025 to U.S.-based SjD patients aged ≥18 years. The survey was IRB-reviewed and determined exempt under 45 CFR § 46.104(d)(2).
Results:

Of all respondents (N=6,360), 71% reported having been diagnosed with ≥1 nervous system related condition. The most common was neuropathy (46%), followed by migraine (38%); 59% percent of men (n=239) reported a diagnosis of neuropathy.   

A majority reported experiencing the following symptoms at least once during the 12 months prior; brain fog (77%), neuropathy (61%), feeling faint or dizzy (56%), headache (56%), and muscle weakness (54%). A majority reported daily or weekly occurrence of these symptoms (range: 64-85%) and a major or moderate impact of the symptom on their life (range: 54%-78%). A larger proportion of men reported a major or moderate impact due to symptoms of neuropathy (71% versus 63% of women), whereas 78% of women reported a major or moderate impact of brain fog, compared to 69% of men.  

Most of the sample reported at least one neurological condition or symptom (n=6072); these respondents were more likely to report SjD negatively affected their participation in social activities, in hobbies or extracurricular activities, activities of daily living, job/career or ability to work, and ability to exercise (OR range: 4.77-8.00) compared to respondents who did not report any neurological condition or symptom (n=288). Respondents with neurological manifestations were more likely to state that SjD adds an emotional burden to their life (OR 3.78).
Conclusions:
Neurological manifestations frequently occur in SjD patients and have a major impact on QoL when compared to patients not reporting neurological conditions or symptoms. 
Generative AI Usage
No, did not use generative AI in the drafting or editing in this abstract.
Disclaimer: Abstracts were not reviewed by Neurology® and do not reflect the views of Neurology® editors or staff.