Background/objectives: Sjögren’s disease (SjD) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by lymphocytic infiltration and inflammation leading to exocrine gland dysfunction. Th17 cells play a central role in autoimmune pathology and are defined by markers such as IL-23R, CCR6, and IL-17. However, the combined characterization of these markers and their relevance in SjD remain poorly understood. Methods: Forty-one participants were enrolled, including twenty-two patients with SjD and nineteen control subjects (CS). Peripheral blood immunophenotyping was performed using multicolor flow cytometry, and serum cytokine concentrations were quantified within a multiplex assay. Non-parametric analyses were conducted using the Mann–Whitney U test and Spearman’s rank correlation. Results: Compared with CS, patients with SjD exhibited higher frequencies of CD3⁺CD4⁺IL-23R⁺ T cells and elevated IL-23 levels. The proportion of CCR6⁺IL-23R⁺ T helper cells tended to be higher in SjD than in controls, although this difference did not reach statistical significance (8.8% vs. 5.3%, p = 0.056). Within clinical subgroups, anti-Ro-negative patients showed increased frequencies of CD3⁺CD4⁺IL-23R⁺ cells. Patients with hypertriglyceridemia displayed reduced frequencies of CCR6⁺IL-23R⁺IFN-γ⁺ cells, whereas normal HDL levels were associated with CCR6 expression and IL-17A production. Conclusions: These findings highlight the heterogeneity of Th17 cells in Sjögren’s disease and reinforce the involvement of the IL-23/IL-23R axis in disease pathogenesis. Exploratory associations between Th17 subsets and lipid parameters suggest a potential immunometabolic interplay that warrants further investigation. Together, these data provide a more comprehensive view of Th17 dynamics in SjD and establish a foundation for future mechanistic studies in larger cohorts and tissue-specific contexts.

Background/Objectives: Gabapentinoids are first-line treatments for neuropathic pain (NP); however, real-world evidence regarding their safety and effectiveness in complex clinical populations remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety profile of gabapentinoid therapy in patients managed within a specialized pain relief institution. Methods: A retrospective cohort study (n = 109) was conducted (January 2024 to December 2024). Effectiveness was assessed via DN4 and VAS over one year. Time to improvement was analyzed using Kaplan–Meier curves. Results: The cohort (mean age 66.2 ± 15.3 years) presented 100% comorbidity and polypharmacy (66.1% opioids; 67.9% antidepressants). Although all patients showed improvement, only 35.8% achieved “maximal improvement.” Pregabalin demonstrated faster VAS reduction than gabapentin (p = 0.029), though long-term success was comparable (p = 0.30). Significantly, 100% of patients reported at least one adverse drug event (ADE), primarily somnolence (66.1%), though no serious ADEs occurred. Lower baseline pain scores were significant predictors of therapeutic success. Conclusions: Gabapentinoids are effective for long-term NP management; however, their use is consistently associated with non-serious ADEs. In specialized settings characterized by extensive CNS-active polypharmacy, proactive pharmacovigilance and multidisciplinary oversight are essential to balance analgesic effectiveness with medication safety.

Background/Objectives: Depression is a mood disorder characterized by persistent sadness and loss of interest. Pharmacy students exhibit a relatively high prevalence of depressive symptoms, which may negatively impact quality of life, academic performance, and, in severe cases, lead to suicidal ideation. Given the increasing trend of medication use among young adults, we hypothesized that this behavior may be associated with depressive symptoms, potentially reflecting attempts to manage concurrent physical symptoms or reduced psychological well-being. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the association between depressive symptoms and medication use among pharmacy students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among students enrolled in pharmacy-related programs from University Center for Exact Sciences and Engineering (CUCEI), University of Guadalajara. Participants completed a personalized questionnaire assessing sociodemographic variables, medication use, comorbid conditions, and depressive symptoms using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize participant characteristics. Categorical variables were reported as frequencies and percentages and compared using the chi-square test. Continuous variables were summarized as means and standard deviations and compared using Student t-test. To evaluate factors associated with moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms, logistic regression and multivariable linear regression analyses were performed. Results: A total of 365 students completed our personalized questionnaire; nearly half of the sample (47.3%) presented moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms. Multivariable analyses showed that insufficient sleep, academic stress, psychological support, and the number of medications used simultaneously were significantly associated with depressive symptoms. Logistic regression identified being in a relationship and receiving psychological support for at least one year as protective factors, while employment, insufficient sleep, academic stress, and a greater number of concomitant medications were associated with increased odds of moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms. Conclusions: A modest association was observed between self-reported medication use and moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms among pharmacy students. These findings suggest that medication use patterns may warrant further investigation as a potential marker of depressive symptoms in pharmacy students. Future longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the nature and direction of this association and to determine whether medication use could contribute to the identification of students at increased risk of depression.

Circulant follicular helper T cells (cTfh) are a specialized subset of CD4⁺ T cells that induce immunoglobulin class switching and antibody secretion in plasma cells through the production of IL-21. To investigate the role of cTfh-like cells in the development of Sjögren’s disease (SjD), we analyzed the circulating Tfh-like cells, their production of IL-21 and IL-4, and the co-expression of ICOS, CXCR5, and CCR9 by flow cytometry, and evaluated their association with clinical characteristics of the disease. Percentages of CD4⁺ IL-21⁺ CXCR5⁺ ICOS⁺ CCR9⁺ IL-4⁺ T cells were analyzed in peripheral blood samples from 20 healthy controls (HCs) and 19 patients with SjD. Serum levels of IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-21, and sCD40L were assessed using a Luminex assay. Laboratory data included anti-Ro/La antibodies, immunoglobulin levels (IgA and IgG), focus score, disease duration, and ESDDAI/SSDDI scores. Decreased frequencies of CXCR5⁺ IL-21⁺ T cells and CCR9⁺ IL-4⁺ T cells were observed in the peripheral blood of patients with SjD. Heatmap analysis was used to identify correlations between cTfh-like cells and clinical parameters. Elevated proportions of cTfh-like cells were positively correlated with disease severity, inflammatory markers, and autoantibody production. High-dimensional analysis identified distinct subpopulations with differential expression of ICOS, CXCR5, CCR9 and IL-21, suggesting heterogeneity of these cells in SjD and their involvement in disease pathogenesis.