With no FDA-approved therapies for Sjögren’s disease, how can ENTs and allergists provide effective care and keep up with emerging treatments? On this episode of BackTable ENT & Allergy, Dr. Basil Kahwash interviews Dr. Kara Wada, a Columbus-based allergist, immunologist, and lifestyle medicine physician, about her personal and clinical experience with Sjögren’s disease. They discuss the major gaps in current treatment, the evolving role of otolaryngologists and allergists in multidisciplinary care, and the new therapies on the horizon.
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Timestamps
00:00 - Introduction02:21 - Building A Direct Practice04:24 - Personal Sjogren's Diagnosis08:33 - ENT Presentations11:28 - Biopsy Challenges and Seronegative Disease15:48 - Pulmonary Complications17:55 - Clinical Trial Treatment19:47 - Immunology and Disease Mechanisms25:35 - Lab Workup and Risk Assessment29:32 - Overlooked Symptoms and Nutritional Considerations31:51 - Saliva Stimulants Tradeoffs34:42 - Deciding When to Escalate Systemic Therapy35:51 - Hydroxychloroquine Basics38:26 - Multidisciplinary Dream Team41:45 - Rituximab and IVIG44:35 - Investigating Phase Three Therapies47:23 - Path to Becoming a Sjogrens Expert53:33 - Key Takeaways And Resources
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More about this episode
Dr. Wada details her own diagnosis and the complex presentations of Sjögren’s across ENT subspecialties, including dry eyes, nasal and throat tissues, chronic sinus issues, laryngitis, reflux, salivary gland swelling, neuropathy, and dizziness. The conversation covers diagnostic workup, the importance of lip biopsy and expert pathology, the challenges of seronegative and pulmonary cases, and the limitations of current medications like hydroxychloroquine and rituximab. They also discuss ongoing clinical trials, dryness management, overlooked symptoms, and the emerging role of agents such as inalumab and dazedalimab in late-phase studies.
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Resources
Virtual Sjögren’s Summithttps://www.sjogrenssummit.com/
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