National SJS Conference - Phoenix

[Annj5]

As promised, I am sharing a few tidbits from the Sjogren's Syndrome Foundation conference.

First, this is my first experience with a conference such as this, and judging from the quality of the information presented, it will certainly not be my last.

I have posted a reply on another thread regarding recent research relating the role of estrogen and autoimmune disorders. Makes me strongly suspect that if this were a man's disease, and related to testosterone there would be a great deal more research done. But I digress...

So hormones have an enormous impact on our disease.

Also of interest:

Dr. Kenneth Fisher from UCLA spoke extensively about pulmonary complications of Sjogren's Syndrome, most of which I was unaware.
Some of the complications in the lungs which can be attributed to Sjogren's are:
Restrictive pulmonary abnormalities
obstructive pulmonary abnormalities
gas exchange abnormalities
pulmonary artery hypertension
and BALT lymphoma

Because this can compromise the lungs so severely, he also spoke of the high incidence of pulmonary infections which can plague Sjoggies. Common symptoms of these problems include:
persistent dry cough
shortness of breath with exertion
OR no symptoms at all - but abnormalities show on imaging studies

I will post more here later, but also on my blog:
http://reasonablywell-julia.blogspot.com/

Julia

[Pooh]

Thanks Julia,
One of these times when it's on the East Coast I will get to it.  I had hoped to get to the one in Virginia last year.  I think it was last year.

Anyway, thanks for the update.

Pooh

[nisha]

Julia - Will be very interested to read more here and on your Blog.  I wanted to go but the timing did not work for me plus I have not been well (more so than usual that is).   You know how it goes.  Thank you for sharing.

nisha

[lynnmarie219]

Thanks for the information Julia!

I want to go to some of these conferences as well....but time and money makes it impossible unless they are fairly close to Illinois! Thanks for sharing some of the things you heard.....sounds like you learned alot!