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Autoimmune disorders
Theimmunesystemisacollectionofspecialcellsandchemicalsthatfightinfection-causingagents suchasbacteriaandviruses.Anautoimmunedisorderoccurswhenaperson'simmunesystem mistakenlyattackstheirownbodytissues.Autoimmunedisordersarebroadlygroupedintotwo categories;'organ-specific'meansoneorganisaffected,whilein'non-organ-specific'disorders, multipleorgansorsystemsmaybeaffected.Therearearound80differentautoimmunedisorders ranginginseverityfrommildtodisabling,dependingonwhichsystemofthebodyisunderattack andtowhatdegree.Forunknownreasons,womenaremoresusceptiblethanmen,particularly duringtheirchildbearingyears.Itisthoughtthatsexhormonesmaybeatleastpartlyresponsible. Thereisgenerallynocure,butthesymptomsofautoimmunedisorderscanbemanaged. A range of disorders Autoimmunedisorderscanaffectnearlyeveryorganandsystemofthebody.Someautoimmune disordersinclude: Diabetes (Type I)-affectsthepancreas.Symptomsincludethirst,frequenturination, weightlossandanincreasedsusceptibilitytoinfection. Graves' disease-affectsthethyroidgland.Symptomsincludeweightloss,elevatedheart rate,anxietyanddiarrhoea. Inflammatory bowel disease-includingulcerativecolitisand,possibly,Crohn'sdisease. Symptomsincludediarrhoeaandabdominalpain. Multiple sclerosis-affectsthenervoussystem.Dependingonwhichpartofthenervous systemisaffected,symptomscanincludenumbness,paralysisandvisionimpairment. Psoriasis-affectstheskin.Featuresincludethedevelopmentofthick,reddenedskin scales. Rheumatoid arthritis-affectsthejoints.Symptomsincludeswollenanddeformedjoints. Theeyes,lungsandheartmayalsobetargeted. Scleroderma-affectstheskinandotherstructures,causingtheformationofscartissue. Featuresincludethickeningoftheskin,skinulcersandstiffjoints. Systemic lupus erythematosus-affectsconnectivetissueandcanstrikeanyorgan systemofthebody.Symptomsincludejointinflammation,fever,weightlossanda characteristicfacialrash.

Ima ge des crip

Immune system malfunction ImmunesystemcellscalledTlymphocytes(Tcells)usespecialreceptorsontheirsurfacesto identifyforeignmicrobes,suchasbacteriaandviruses.Usually,Tcellsthatreacttothetissuesof thebodyaredestroyedbythethymus,anorganoftheimmunesystemlocatedbehindthe breastbone.The'self-attacking'Tcellsthatescapedestructionmaybeactivatedbyatrigger.The exacttriggersareunknown,butviralinfectionsandhormonesareamongthesuspects.Therogue TcellstheninstructBlymphocytes(Bcells)tomakeantibodiesagainsttheparticulartissue,organ orsystem.Suchantibodiesarecalled'autoantibodies'. Risk factors Theexactcausesofautoimmunedisordersarenotknown.Theriskfactorsseemtoinclude: Genetics-apredispositiontoautoimmunedisordersseemstoruninfamilies.However, familymemberscanbeaffectedbydifferentdisorders;forexample,onepersonmayhave diabetes,whileanotherhasrheumatoidarthritis.Itseemsthatgeneticsusceptibilityalone isnotenoughtotriggeranautoimmunereaction,andotherfactorsmustcontribute. Environmental factors-afamily'ssusceptibilitytoautoimmunedisordersmaybelinked tocommonenvironmentalfactors,perhapsworkinginconjunctionwithgeneticfactors. Gender-aroundthreequartersofpeoplewithautoimmunedisordersarewomen. Sex hormones-autoimmunedisorderstendtostrikeduringthechildbearingyears.Some disordersseemtobeaffected,forbetterorworse,bymajorhormonalchangessuchas pregnancy,childbirthandmenopause. Infection-somedisordersseemtobetriggeredorworsenedbyparticularinfections.

Autoimmunedisorders

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Diagnostic methods Itcanbehardtodiagnoseanautoimmunedisorder,especiallyinitsearlierstagesandifmultiple organsorsystemsareinvolved.Dependingonthedisorder,diagnosismethodsmayinclude: Physicalexamination Medicalhistory Bloodtests,includingthosetodetectautoantibodies Biopsy X-rays.

Treatment options Autoimmunedisordersingeneralcannotbecured,buttheconditioncanbecontrolledinmany cases.Historically,treatmentsinclude: Anti-inflammatory drugs-toreduceinflammationandpain. Corticosteroids-toreduceinflammation.Theyaresometimesusedtotreatanacute flareofsymptoms. Pain-killing medication-suchasparacetamolandcodeine. Immunosuppressant drugs-toinhibittheactivityoftheimmunesystem. Physical therapy-toencouragemobility. Treatment for the deficiency-forexample,insulininjectionsinthecaseofdiabetes. Surgery-forexample,totreatbowelblockageinthecaseofCrohn'sdisease. High dose immunosuppression -theuseofimmunesystemsuppressingdrugs(inthe dosesneededtotreatcancerortopreventtherejectionoftransplantedorgans)havebeen triedrecently,withpromisingresults.Particularlywheninterventionisearly,thechanceof acurewithsomeoftheseconditionsseemspossible.

Where to get help Yourdoctor.

Things to remember

Anautoimmunedisorderoccurswhenaperson'simmunesystemmistakenlyattackstheir ownbody. Therearearound80differentautoimmunedisordersranginginseverityfrommildto disabling,dependingonwhichsystemofthebodyisunderattackandtowhatdegree. Thereisgenerallynocure,butthesymptomsofautoimmunedisorderscanbemanaged.

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Autoimmunedisorders

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