A Rare Case of Sjogren’s Syndrome-Related Recurrent Pleural Effusion

Abstract

Sjogren’s syndrome (SS) is a systemic autoimmune disease marked by lymphocyte infiltration of the exocrine glands and a variety of systemic symptoms. The wide range of prevalence reported in different studies is due to the fact that SS respiratory symptoms are polymorphic and vary in severity. Some 9%-20% of patients with SS have clinically severe lung impairment. Pleural effusion in SS has an etiology that is unknown. It is thought to be caused by CD4+ T cells secreting cytokines that cause B lymphocytes to generate autoantibodies. High beta-2-microglobulin, which is secreted by lymphocytic tissue particularly in pulmonary SS, is another sign of lymphoproliferation in lung tissue. Our patient had recurrent pleural effusion due to lymphoproliferation in the lung as a result of SS.