15. The Unseen Connection: Sjögren’s Syndrome and Kidney Complications
To the uninitiated, the relationship between Sjögren’s syndrome and the kidneys might appear tenuous. Surprisingly, for a fraction of those with the syndrome, renal complications emerge as an unwelcome companion.
These complications aren’t direct but are consequences of the body’s immune onslaught. The kidneys, responsible for filtering our blood, can develop a condition called interstitial nephritis in Sjögren’s patients. This inflammation of the spaces between the kidney tubules can hinder the organ’s filtration process.
Further complications might involve the tubules themselves. In some, the tubules lose their ability to concentrate urine, leading to frequent urination and increased thirst. This may seem ironic given the syndrome’s hallmark dryness, but it’s a testament to the condition’s unpredictability.(15)
