Published online May 16, 2022. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v10.i14.4625
Peer-review started: October 25, 2021
First decision: December 17, 2021
Revised: December 24, 2021
Accepted: March 15, 2022
Article in press: March 15, 2022
Published online: May 16, 2022
Processing time: 199 Days and 19.4 Hours
Primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS) is an autoimmune disease, and renal involvement has been considered to be one of the systemic complications of pSS. Patients who have sjogren's syndrome with renal disease as the first manifestation and no exocrine gland involvement or autoantibodies can be missed clinically.
We here in report an unusual case of a primary Sjogren's syndrome in a 43-year-old female who had minimal lesion nephropathy as the initial presentation, and the patient was negative for serum anti-SSA and anti-SSB antibodies and did not have signs of exocrine gland involvement. The patient’s Sjogren's syndrome was confirmed by a minor salivary gland biopsy (MSGB) and a filter paper test. the patient’s oedema subsided, and the patient’s urinary protein resolved, showing that the treatment was effective.
MSGB should be considered if pSS is suspected in patients who do not have the typical pSS symptoms or who are positive for the specific autoantibodies.
Core Tip: Cases of serum-negative Sjogren's syndrome, when the patient has no symptoms of exocrine gland involvement and no hyperglobulinemia, where kidney disease is the first manifestation, and when minimal lesion nephropathy is seen in renal pathology, are rare. Therefore, minor salivary gland biopsy (MSGB) should be considered if pSS is suspected in patients who do not have the typical pSS symptoms or specific autoantibodies. MSGS has a primary value in the diagnosis of these patients.