Autoimmune diseases arise from an overactive immune response of the body against substances and tissues normally present in the body. In other words, the body attacks its own cells. Autoimmune diseases are a major cause of immune-mediated diseases.
Today there are more than 40 human diseases classified as either definite or probable autoimmune diseases,[citation needed] and they affect 5% to 7% of the population.[citation needed] Almost all autoimmune diseases appear without warning or apparent cause, and most patients suffer from fatigue.
The causes of autoimmune diseases are still obscure: Some are thought to be either examples of or precipitated by diseases of affluence. For example, arthritis and obesity are acknowledged to be related, and the World Health Organisation states that arthritis is most common in developed countries. Most autoimmune diseases are probably the result of multiple circumstances, for example, a genetic predisposition triggered by an infection.
Gender influence
Women tend to be affected more often by autoimmune disorders; nearly 79% of autoimmune disease patients in the USA are women. Also they tend to appear during or shortly after puberty. It is not known why this is the case, although hormone levels have been shown to affect the severity of some autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis.[1] Other causes may include the presence of fetal cells in the maternal bloodstream. [2]
Autoimmune diseases
Diseases with a complete or partial autoimmune etiology:
Accepted
The "Mesh" column lists those conditions that are classified as autoimmune by the MeSH system.
is a disease characterized by chronic inflammation of the proximal portion of the small intestine caused by exposure to certain dietary gluten proteins.
when it is characterized by a deficiency or absence of insulin production (Type I), is often the consequence of an autoimmune attack on the insulin-producing beta cells in the islets of Langerhans of the pancreas.
is a disease characterised by rapid destruction of the kidneys and haemorrhaging of the lungs through autoimmune reaction against an antigen found in both organs.
is the most common form of hyperthyroidism, and is caused by anti-thyroid antibodies that have the effect of stimulating (agonist) the thyroid into overproduction of thyroid hormone.
is an acquired immune-mediated inflammatory disorder of the peripheral nervous system (i.e., not the brain and spinal column). It is also called acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, acute idiopathic polyradiculoneuritis, acute idiopathic polyneuritis and Landry's ascending paralysis.
is a common form of hypothyroidism, characterised by initial inflammation of the thyroid, and, later, dysfunction and goiter. There are several characteristic antibodies (e.g., anti-thyroglobulin).
is a chronic (long-lasting) autoimmune disease wherein the immune system, for unknown reasons, becomes hyperactive and attacks normal tissue. This attack results in inflammation and brings about symptoms. This is a "Non-organ-specific" type of autoimmune disease.
has features of other connective tissues diseases — lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma and polymyositis. The presence of a specific antibody — called U1-RNP is needed for diagnosis.
is a disorder of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) characterised by decreased nerve function due to myelin loss and secondary axonal damage.
is a neurological disorder that appears to the result of an autoimmune attack on the nervous system. Symptoms include opsoclonus, myoclonus, ataxia, intention tremor, dysphasia, dysarthria, mutism, hypotonia, lethargy, irritability or malaise. About half of all OMS cases occur in association with neuroblastoma.
is a thyroiditis similar to Hashimoto's disease, except that the thyroid is reduced in size. In Europe, this form of thyroid inflammation is more common than Hashimoto's disease.
is an immune reaction severely affecting the joints of dogs. Although rare and of unknown cause it can render a dog immobile even at a very young age. Treatment includes cortisone-type drugs.
appears to be an autoimmune disease that affects the biliary epithelial cells (BECs) of the small bile duct in the liver. Although the cause is yet to be determined, most of the patients (>90%) appear to have auto-mitochondrial antibodies (AMAs) against pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC), an enzyme that is found in the mitochondria.
seems to be an autoimmune attack[citation needed] on various body systems in response to a bacterial infection and the body's confusion over the HLA-B27 marker
is an inflammation of blood vessels, most commonly the large and medium arteries of the head. Untreated, the disorder can lead to significant vision loss.
^ A Gender Gap in Autoimmunity. Retrieved on 2007-10-19.
^ JAMA -- Abstract: Microchimerism: An Investigative Frontier in Autoimmunity and Transplantation, March 3, 2004, Adams and Nelson 291 (9): 1127. Retrieved on 2007-10-19.
^ Hyland KV, Engman DM (2006). "Further thoughts on where we stand on the autoimmunity hypothesis of Chagas disease". Trends Parasitol.22 (3): 101-2; author reply 103. doi:10.1016/j.pt.2006.01.001. PMID 16446117.
^ Gleicher N, el-Roeiy A, Confino E, Friberg J (1987). "Is endometriosis an autoimmune disease?". Obstetrics and gynecology70 (1): 115-22. PMID 3110710.
^ Clinical Trial: Etanercept in Hidradenitis Suppurativa. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
^ Kárpáti F, Dénes L, Büttner K (1975). "[Interstitial cystitis=autoimmune cyatitis? Interstitial as a participating disease in lupus erythematosus]" (in German). Zeitschrift für Urologie und Nephrologie68 (9): 633-9. PMID 1227191.
^ Takehara K, Sato S (2005). "Localized scleroderma is an autoimmune disorder". Rheumatology (Oxford, England)44 (3): 274-9. doi:10.1093/rheumatology/keh487. PMID 15561734.
^ Maddison P (2006). "Neuromyotonia". Clinical neurophysiology : official journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology117 (10): 2118-27. doi:10.1016/j.clinph.2006.03.008. PMID 16843723.
^ Carlander, B., Eliaou J.F., Billiard M. (1993). "Autoimmune hypothesis in narcolepsy.". Neurophysiol. Clin.23.
^ Eaton WW, Byrne M, Ewald H, et al (2006). "Association of schizophrenia and autoimmune diseases: linkage of Danish national registers". The American journal of psychiatry163 (3): 521-8. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.163.3.521. PMID 16513876.
^ Jones AL, Mowry BJ, Pender MP, Greer JM (2005). "Immune dysregulation and self-reactivity in schizophrenia: do some cases of schizophrenia have an autoimmune basis?". Immunol. Cell Biol.83 (1): 9-17. doi:10.1111/j.1440-1711.2005.01305.x. PMID 15661036.
^ Strous RD, Shoenfeld Y (2006). "Schizophrenia, autoimmunity and immune system dysregulation: a comprehensive model updated and revisited". J. Autoimmun.27 (2): 71-80. doi:10.1016/j.jaut.2006.07.006. PMID 16997531.
^ Questions and Answers about Vitiligo. Retrieved on 2007-08-06.
^ A New Gene Linked to Vitiligo and Susceptibility to Autoimmune Disorders - Journal Watch Dermatology. Retrieved on 2007-08-06.
