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Patients with both bronchiectasis and Sjögren's syndrome face a distinct clinical picture compared to those with bronchiectasis alone. A new study found higher rates of GERD, more pulmonary-related hospitalizations, and a different bacterial profile — with more Staph aureus but less Pseudomonas — in the Sjögren's group. Researchers say this population deserves closer attention and tailored treatment strategies.
Patients with both bronchiectasis and Sjögren's syndrome aren't just dealing with two conditions at once — they appear to have a meaningfully different disease profile than those with bronchiectasis alone. That's the takeaway from a new study presented at the CHEST Annual Meeting, which analyzed data from the U.S. Bronchiectasis and NTM Research Registry.
Researchers compared 71 patients with bronchiectasis and Sjögren's syndrome to 5,649 bronchiectasis-only controls, matching groups by age, sex, and lung function. The Sjögren's group showed higher rates of GERD and more pulmonary-related hospitalizations in the two years before enrollment — along with a distinct bacterial footprint in the airways.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: Understanding how Sjögren's reshapes the bronchiectasis phenotype — from comorbidities to airway pathogens — could help clinicians tailor monitoring and treatment for this undercharacterized patient group. Researchers are already planning follow-up work to explore the GERD-microbiome connection in this population.
