---

---

Sjögren’s Syndrome

Other Known Aliases – Gougerot’s syndrome

Definition – chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease characterized by diminished lacrimal and salivary gland function

Clinical Significance – Patients affected by this disease have dry eyes, dry mouth, dry skin, and various other systemic abnormalities. The exact mechanism is unknown, but is believed to be a combination of genetics (HLA association) and environmental triggers (viral pathogens).

History – Named after Henrik Samuel Conrad Sjögren (1899-1986), who was a Swedish ophthalmologist who received his medical doctorate from the Karolinksa Institutet in 1922. He married a classmate of his (Maria Hellgren), who also happened to be the daughter of one of the most prominent ophthalmologists in Stockholm. He first encountered his future eponymous disease in 1925, and published a case report of five patients in 1930. He completed his doctoral thesis in 1993 on “Zur Kenntnis der keratoconjunctivitis sicca”, but unfortunately did not earn him the title of docent to pursue a career in academia. He did however enjoy a prolific career with numerous honorific appointments…..including docent at the University of Göteborg in 1961.

• 

• 

---

References

1. Firkin BG and Whitwirth JA.  Dictionary of Medical Eponyms. 2nd ed.  New York, NY; Parthenon Publishing Group. 1996.
2. Bartolucci S, Forbis P.  Stedman’s Medical Eponyms.  2nd ed.  Baltimore, MD; LWW.  2005.
3. Yee AJ, Pfiffner P. (2012).  Medical Eponyms (Version 1.4.2) [Mobile Application Software].  Retrieved http://itunes.apple.com.
4. Whonamedit – dictionary of medical eponyms. http://www.whonamedit.com
5. Up To Date. www.uptodate.com
6. https://hekint.org/2018/09/11/henrik-sjogren-and-his-syndrome/
7. Sjögren H. Zur Kenntnis der keratoconjunctivitis sicca. Keratitis filiformis bei Hypofunktion der Tränendrüsen. Acta Ophthalmol. 1933;2:1–151
8. Murube J. Henrik Sjögren, 1899-1986. The ocular surface. 2010; 8(1):2-7. [pubmed]