A patient with persistent dry mouth and dry eyes tests positive for SSA (anti-Ro) antibodies. Which autoimmune disease is most likely?

Sjögren syndrome is an autoimmune exocrinopathy characterized by lymphocytic infiltration and destruction of the salivary and lacrimal glands, resulting in xerostomia (dry mouth) and xerophthalmia (dry eyes) — the sicca complex. Anti-SSA (anti-Ro) and anti-SSB (anti-La) antibodies are characteristic autoantibodies. While anti-SSA can also be found in SLE, the combination of xerostomia, xerophthalmia, and positive anti-SSA strongly favors Sjögren syndrome. Sjögren may be primary (alone) or secondary (with RA, SLE, or other autoimmune diseases). Oral implications include severe caries (due to reduced saliva), oral candidiasis, difficulty chewing and swallowing.