1. Conferences Overview
    2. Deutscher Rheumatologiekongress 2026
    3. Patterns of fatigue in Sjögren’s disease and systemic lupus erythematosus
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Deutscher Rheumatologiekongress 2026

54. Kongress der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Rheumatologie und Klinische Immunologie (DGRh), 36. Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft für Kinder- und Jugendrheumatologie (GKJR), 40. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Orthopädische Rheumatologie (DGORh)
09.-12.09.2026
Leipzig

Meeting Abstract

Patterns of fatigue in Sjögren’s disease and systemic lupus erythematosus

David Kickinger - Medizinische Universität Graz, Rheumatologie und Immunologie, Graz, Österreich
Angelika Lackner - Medizinische Universität Graz, Rheumatologie und Immunologie, Graz, Österreich
Barbara Dreo - Medizinische Universität Graz, Rheumatologie und Immunologie, Graz, Österreich
Matea Rados - Medizinische Universität Graz, Pathophysiologie und Immunologie, Graz, Österreich
Sophie Dieng - Medizinische Universität Graz, Rheumatologie und Immunologie, Graz, Österreich
Tobias Frech - Medizinische Universität Graz, Rheumatologie und Immunologie, Graz, Österreich
Johannes Fessler - Medizinische Universität Graz, Rheumatologie und Immunologie, Graz, Österreich
Jens Thiel - Medizinische Universität Graz, Rheumatologie und Immunologie, Graz, Österreich
Martin Stradner - Medizinische Universität Graz, Rheumatologie und Immunologie, Graz, Österreich

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Introduction: Sjögren’s disease (SjD) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are chronic autoimmune disorders with distinct immunopathology and clinical features, both associated with a high fatigue burden. This study investigated the impact of depressive mood, health-related quality of life and disease activity on fatigue and compared fatigue severity between SjD and SLE patients.

Methods: Female patients with SjD (2016 ACR/EULAR criteria) and SLE (2019 EULAR/ACR criteria) were recruited from the outpatient clinic of the Department of Rheumatology, Medical University of Graz. Disease activity was measured using ESSDAI (SjD) and SLE-DAS (SLE). Fatigue was assessed using the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) in both groups (FSS >36 indicating high fatigue), the FACIT-F in SLE and the ESSPRI fatigue domain in SjD. High-fatigue groups were defined using combined questionnaire cut-offs (SjD: FSS and ESSPRI; SLE: FSS and FACIT-F). HRQL was evaluated using PSS-QoL (SjD) and LupusQoL (SLE) and depressive mood using HADS. Routine and immunological laboratory parameters, including B-cell subsets, were analyzed.

Results: A total of 120 patients were included (60 SjD, 60 SLE). SLE patients were younger and had longer disease duration than SjD patients (both p<0.01), while fatigue severity did not differ significantly (FSS 32.4±12.9 vs. 28.1±14.9; p=0.072). Distinct patterns emerged between low and high fatigue. In SjD, high fatigue was associated with increased pain (2.0 [0–7] vs. 6.0 [0–9], p<0.01), reduced HRQL (PSS-QoL 26.0 [7–63] vs. 52.5 [14–71], p<0.01), higher extent of dryness (5.0 [2–9] vs 8 [5–10], p<0.01), and lower plasma B-cell levels (2.7± 4.1 vs 0.8±0.7, p<0.05). SLE patients with high fatigue exhibited higher depression scores (2.0 [0–12] vs. 6.5 [1–18], p<0.01) and the extent of pain (85.7± 12.7 vs 67.5±20.9, p<0.05) was higher. In SjD, fatigue correlated with pain, depression, anxiety, dryness, impaired HRQL, and inversely with B-cell levels (all p<0.01), but not disease activity. In SLE, fatigue correlated positively with depression and anxiety, and negatively with pain, physical health and disease duration.

Conclusion: Fatigue represents a prevalent and clinically relevant symptom in both SjD and SLE. These findings show the disease-specific nature of fatigue and highlight the need for tailored assessment and management strategies in these diseases.