Standardized Nomenclature for Peripheral Nervous System Manifestations of Sjögren Disease Published

Recommendations for a standardized nomenclature to improve interdisciplinary communication for peripheral nervous system (PNS) disorders across rheumatology and neurology were published in Arthritis & Rheumatology, the journal of the American College of Rheumatology. The recommendations specifically focus on PNS manifestations of Sjögren disease (SjD) and are intended to facilitate collaboration between specialties to enhance patient care and the implementation of evidence-based medicine.

The new guidelines were developed by an interdisciplinary panel of experts convened by the Sjögren’s Foundation, with members representing the fields of both neurology and rheumatology. The panel found disparate definitions for neuropathies and identified that these inconsistencies were a barrier to effective multidisciplinary care for people with SjD-related PNS disorders. The panel utilized an evidence-based process to develop a standardized set of shared definitions, an aligned nomenclature, and defined terminology for neurologic manifestations of SjD.

The Sjögren’s Foundation panel delineated the following 7 categories of PNS.

• Mononeuropathy
• Large fiber (axonal) neuropathy
• Small fiber neuropathy
• Demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy
• Ganglionopathy
• Vasculitic neuropathy
• Autonomic nervous system neuropathy

In the published article, the authors detail the 7 categories of SjD-related peripheral neuropathies, along with standardized definitions, associated features, and recommendations for evaluation.