Peripheral nerve lesion types in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome

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Frontiers in Medicine Published April 30, 2026 Medically reviewed May 1, 2026 DOI ↗ By Dr. Ji-eun Park, MD · Brain, Mind & Pain

Key Takeaway

Note that SMN in pSS may be associated with lower antibody positivity and higher inflammatory markers.

This retrospective observational study conducted at the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology at Shandong Provincial Hospital evaluated 92 patients diagnosed with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). The researchers compared patients with different types of peripheral nerve lesions, specifically looking at a sensorimotor neuropathy (SMN) group, a sensory neuropathy (SN) group, and a non-peripheral neuropathy (nPN) group.

Results indicated that 25 of 92 patients (27%) exhibited peripheral nervous system involvement. Within the total pSS cohort, 13 of 92 patients (14%) had sensorimotor neuropathy. Compared to the nPN group, the SMN group showed lower rates of SSA antibody, SSB antibody, and rheumatoid factor positivity. Additionally, the SMN group demonstrated higher median white blood cell counts and neutrophil count scores than the nPN group.

When comparing the SMN and SN groups, the SMN group was characterized by a higher median age and a shorter disease duration. The SMN group also showed higher average white blood cell counts and higher median neutrophil counts than the SN group.

This study is limited by its single-center design and small sample size. Safety and tolerability data were not reported. Because this is an observational cohort study, the reported associations between SMN and specific serological or inflammatory markers should be interpreted with caution until validated by large-scale prospective studies.

Study Details

Study typeCohort

EvidenceLevel 3

PublishedApr 2026

View Original Abstract ↓

ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical features and serological characteristics of patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) complicated with sensorimotor neuropathy (SMN), and to provide a reference for the clinical diagnosis, disease assessment and treatment of this condition.MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on a cohort of 92 patients diagnosed with pSS who were admitted to the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology at Shandong Provincial Hospital between 2016 and 2024. According to the presence and type of peripheral nerve lesions, we divided the patients into three groups: the sensorimotor neuropathy group (SMN group, n = 13), the sensory neuropathy group (SN group, n = 12), and the non-peripheral neuropathy group (nPN group, n = 67). We collected and compared clinical and laboratory data among the three groups and analyzed the neuroelectrophysiological characteristics in the SMN and SN groups.ResultsAmong 92 patients with pSS, 25 (27%) exhibited peripheral nervous system involvement, of which 13 (14%) had SMN. Compared with the nPN group, the SMN group showed lower rates of positivity for SSA antibody, SSB antibody, and rheumatoid factor. Additionally, the SMN group had higher median white blood cell count and neutrophil count scores than the nPN group. When compared with the SN group, the SMN group had a higher median age and a shorter disease duration. The average white blood cell count and median neutrophil count of the SMN group were both higher than those of the SN group.ConclusionsSMN is a common form of peripheral nerve injury observed in pSS patients. These SMN patients display a potentially distinct clinical and serological profile, characterized by low positive rates of anti-SSA/SSB antibodies and rheumatoid factor, as well as elevated peripheral blood inflammatory markers. As this was a single-center, small-sample retrospective observational study, further validation by large-scale prospective studies is warranted.