Autoimmune Diseases

Facts

• Approximately 75% of those affected with an autoimmune disease are woman.
• Autoimmune diseases are not contagious.
• It is estimated that one in every 5 people are affected by some form of an autoimmune disease.
• Because all autoimmune diseases have the same root cause, it is common to have symptoms from more than then just one disease.
• It is often hard to diagnose autoimmune diseases.
• Autoimmunity and autoimmune diseases were finally accepted by most doctors in the 1950s and 1960s.

What Is An Autoimmune Disease?

The term "autoimmune disease" refers to a varied group of more than 80 serious, chronic illnesses that involve almost every human organ system. The human immune system is designed to protect our bodies from invading organisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. However, in all autoimmune diseases, the underlying problem is similar--the body's immune system becomes misdirected and unbalanced, attacking the very organs it was designed to protect.

The systems in the body which are most often affected by an autoimmune disease are: blood, digestive tract, eyes, glands, heart, joints, kidneys, lungs, muscles, nerves, brain and skin. Autoimmune diseases can also affect connective tissue. (This is the tissue which binds together various tissues and organs.)

How Are Autoimmune Diseases Diagnosed?

Autoimmune diseases often don't show a clear pattern of symptoms at first. So diagnosing them can be hard. But with time, a diagnosis can usually be made by using:

Medical history What type of symptoms there are and how long someone has had them. A family history of any autoimmune disease makes someone more likely to have one.

Physical exam During an exam, the doctor checks for any signs. Inflamed joints, swollen lymph nodes, or discolored skin might give clues.

Medical tests No one test will show that you have an autoimmune disease. But doctors may find clues in a blood sample. For example, people with lupus or rheumatoid arthritis often have certain autoantibodies in their blood. Autoantibodies are blood proteins formed against the body's own parts.

Not all people with these diseases have these autoantibodies. And some people without autoimmune disease do have them. So blood tests alone may not always help. But if a person has disease symptoms and autoantibodies, the doctor can be more sure of a diagnosis.

What Types of Doctors Treat Autoimmune Diseases?

Treatments for autoimmune diseases vary. So do the types of doctors who provide them.

For some people, one doctor will be enough to manage their disease. Others may require a team approach. One doctor might coordinate and give care, and others would treat specific organ problems. For example, a person with lupus might be seen by a rheumatologist. But that person might also see a nephrologist for related kidney problems and a dermatologist for skin problems.
Specialists you may need to see include:

A rheumatologist, who treats arthritis and other rheumatic diseases. These include scleroderma and systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus or SLE).

An endocrinologist, who treats gland and hormone problems. These include diabetes and thyroid disease.

A neurologist, who treats nerve problems. These include multiple sclerosis and myasthenia gravis.

A hematologist, who treats diseases that affect the blood. These include pernicious anemia and autoimmune hemolytic anemia.

A gastroenterologist, who treats problems with the digestive system. These include Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

A dermatologist, who treats problems of the skin, hair, and nails. These include psoriasis, pemphigus/pemphigoid, alopecia areata and discoid lupus.

A nephrologist, who treats kidney problems. These include glomerulonephritis, inflamed kidneys associated with lupus.

Glossary of Diseases

Here are brief descriptions of some of the many diseases in which autoimmunity may be involved.
Note: Because the specific causes of many diseases are unknown, there is debate among scientists about whether some of these are truly autoimmune diseases.

Alopecia areata--A disorder in which the immune system attacks the hair follicles, causing loss of hair on the scalp, face, and other parts of the body.

Ankylosing spondylitis--A rheumatic disease that causes inflamed joints in the spine and sacroiliac (the joints that connect the spine and the pelvis) and, in some people, inflamed eyes and heart valves.

Arthritis--A general term for more than 100 different diseases that affect the joints. Many forms of arthritis and related conditions are believed to have an autoimmune component.

Autoimmune hemolytic anemia--A condition in which immune system proteins attack the red blood cells, resulting in fewer of these oxygen-transporting cells.

Autoimmune hepatitis--A disease in which the body's immune system attacks liver cells, causing inflammation. If not stopped, inflammation can lead to cirrhosis (scarring and hardening) of the liver and eventually liver failure.

Behçet's disease--A condition characterized by sores in the mouth and on the genitals and by inflammation in parts of the eye. In some people, the disease also results in inflammation of the joints, digestive tract, brain, and spinal cord.

Celiacs disease--When individuals with CD ingest gluten, the villi, tiny hair-like projections in the small intestine that absorb nutrients from food are damaged. This is due to an immunological reaction to gluten. Damaged villi interferes with the body's ability to absorb basic nutrients -- proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, and, in some cases, water and bile salts. If CD is left untreated, damage to the small bowel can be chronic and life threatening, causing an increased risk of associated disorders -- both nutritional and immune related.

Crohn's disease--An inflammatory disease of the small intestine or colon that causes diarrhea, cramps, and excessive weight loss.

Dermatomyositis--A rare autoimmune disease that causes patchy red rashes around the knuckles, eyes, and other parts of the body along with chronic inflammation of the muscles. It may occur along with other autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or systemic lupus erythematosus.

Diabetes mellitus, type 1--A condition in which the immune system destroys insulin-producing cells of the pancreas, making it impossible for the body to use glucose (blood sugar) for energy. Type 1 diabetes usually occurs in children and young adults.

Glomerulonephritis--Inflammation of the kidney's tiny filtering units, which in severe cases can lead to kidney failure.

Graves' disease--An autoimmune disease of the thyroid gland that results in the overproduction of thyroid hormone. This causes such symptoms as nervousness, heat intolerance, heart palpitations, and unexplained weight loss.

Guillain-Barré syndrome--A disorder in which the body's immune system attacks part of the nervous system, leading to numb, weak limbs and, in severe cases, paralysis.

Inflammatory bowel disease--The general name for diseases that cause inflammation in the intestine, the most common of which are ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.

Lupus nephritis--Damaging inflammation of the kidneys that can occur in people with lupus. If not controlled, it may lead to total kidney failure.

Multiple sclerosis--A disease in which the immune system attacks the protective coating called myeline around the nerves. The damage affects the brain and/or spinal cord and interferes with the nerve pathways, causing muscular weakness, loss of coordination, and visual and speech problems.

Myasthenia gravis--A disease in which the immune system attacks the nerves and muscles in the neck, causing weakness and problems with seeing, chewing, and/or talking.

Myocarditis--Inflamed and degenerating muscle tissue of the heart that can cause chest pain and shortness of breath. This can lead to congestive heart failure.

Pemphigus/pemphigoid--An autoimmune disease of the skin characterized by itching and blisters.

Pernicious anemia--A deficiency of the oxygen-carrying red blood cells that often occurs in people with autoimmune diseases of the thyroid gland.

Polyarteritis nodosa--An autoimmune disease that causes inflammation of the small and medium-sized arteries. This leads to problems in the muscles, joints, intestines, nerves, kidney, and skin.

Polymyositis--A rare autoimmune disease characterized by inflamed and tender muscles throughout the body, particularly those of the shoulder and hip girdles.

Primary biliary cirrhosis--A disease that slowly destroys the bile ducts in the liver. When the ducts are damaged, bile (a substance that helps digest fat) builds up in the liver and damages liver tissue.

Psoriasis--A chronic skin disease that occurs when cells in the outer layer of the skin reproduce faster than normal and pile up on the skin's surface. This results in scaling and inflammation. An estimated 10 to 30 percent of people with psoriasis develop an associated arthritis called psoriatic arthritis.

Rheumatic fever--A disease that can occur following untreated streptococcus (strep) infection. It most often affects children, causing painful, inflamed joints and, in some cases, permanent damage to heart valves.

Rheumatoid arthritis--A disease in which the immune system is believed to attack the linings of the joints. This results in joint pain, stiffness, swelling, and destruction.

Sarcoidosis--A disease characterized by granulomas (small growths of blood vessels, cells, and connective tissue) that can lead to problems in the skin, lungs, eyes, joints, and muscles.

Scleroderma--An autoimmune disease characterized by abnormal growth of connective tissue in the skin and blood vessels. In more severe forms, connective tissue can build up in the kidneys, lungs, heart, and gastrointestinal tract, leading in some cases to organ failure.

Sjögren's syndrome--A condition in which the immune system targets the body's moisture-producing glands, leading to dryness of the eyes, mouth, and other body tissues.

Systemic lupus erythematosus--An autoimmune disease, primarily of young women, that can affect many parts of the body, including the joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lungs, blood vessels, and brain.

Thyroiditis--An inflammation of the thyroid gland that causes the gland to become underactive. This results in symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, weight gain, cold intolerance, and muscle aches.

Ulcerative colitis--A disease that causes ulcers in the top layers of the lining of the large intestine. This leads to abdominal pain and diarrhea.

Uveitis--The inflammation of structures of the inner eye, including the iris (the colored tissue that holds the lens of the eye) and the choroid plexus (a network of blood vessels around the eyeball). Uveitis occurs with some rheumatic diseases, including ankylosing spondylitis and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

Vitiligo--A disorder in which the immune system destroys pigment-making cells called melanocytes. This results in white patches of skin on different parts of the body.

Wegener's granulomatosis--An autoimmune disease that damages the small and medium-sized blood vessels throughout the body, resulting in disease in the lungs, upper respiratory tract, and kidneys.