Ep. 290 Managing Sjogren's in ENT & Allergy Clinics with Dr. Kara Wada

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. --- Get the BackTable app https://www.backtable.com/app --- Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction 02:21 - Building A Direct Practice 04:24 - Personal Sjogren's Diagnosis 08:33 - ENT Presentations 11:28 - Biopsy Challenges and Seronegative Disease 15:48 - Pulmonary Complications 17:55 - Clinical Trial Treatment 19:47 - Immunology and Disease Mechanisms 25:35 - Lab Workup and Risk Assessment 29:32 - Overlooked Symptoms and Nutritional Considerations 31:51 - Saliva Stimulants Tradeoffs 34:42 - Deciding When to Escalate Systemic Therapy 35:51 - Hydroxychloroquine Basics 38:26 - Multidisciplinary Dream Team 41:45 - Rituximab and IVIG 44:35 - Investigating Phase Three Therapies 47:23 - Path to Becoming a Sjogrens Expert 53:33 - Key Takeaways And Resources --- 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. --- Resources Virtual Sjögren’s Summit https://www.sjogrenssummit.com/ --- BackTable ENT & Allergy is the go-to podcast for otolaryngologists, allergists, and head and neck surgeons. Download the free BackTable app to get early access to new episodes, cases, and courses curated by physicians in your specialty. ► https://www.backtable.com/app