autoimmune disease

(noun)

A disease where one's immune system attacks one's own tissues.

Related Terms

Examples of autoimmune disease in the following topics:

  • Autoimmune Diseases

    • Autoimmune diseases are an inappropriate immune response against tissues in the body.
    • Autoimmune diseases are commonly considered complex immune disorders.
    • While many autoimmune diseases are rare, collectively these diseases afflict millions of patients.
    • However, defects of one or more of these genes do not cause an autoimmune disease, but only predispose a person for an autoimmune disease.
    • The factors that trigger an autoimmune disease are still unknown.

  • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

    • Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease that can occur in any organ or tissue in the body.
    • Systemic lupus erythematosus, often abbreviated to SLE or lupus, is a systemic autoimmune disease (or autoimmune connective tissue disease) that can affect any part of the body.
    • As with other autoimmune diseases, the immune system attacks the body's own cells and tissue, resulting in inflammation and tissue damage.
    • The course of the disease is unpredictable, with periods of illness (called flares) alternating with remissions.
    • It is the prototypical autoimmune disease.

  • Ankylosing Spondylitis

    • Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic inflammatory, autoimmune disease that results in joint fusion in the vertebrae and the sacroiliac joint.
    • AS is a form of spondyloarthritis, a chronic, inflammatory arthritis and autoimmune disease.
    • However, only 5% of individuals with the HLA-B27 genotype contract the disease
    • Symptoms of the disease first appear, on average, at age 23 years.
    • Men are affected more than women by a ratio of about 3:1, with the disease usually taking a more severe course in men than women.

  • Psoriasis

    • Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that affects the skin, caused by faulty immune signals that speed up the growth cycle of skin cells.
    • Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that affects the skin.
    • Typically, topical agents are used for mild disease, phototherapy for moderate disease, and systemic immunosuppressant agents for severe disease.

  • Adrenal Gland Disorders

    • Addison's disease and congenital adrenal hyperplasia can manifest as adrenal insufficiency.
    • One subtype is called idiopathic or unknown cause of adrenal insufficiency. 80% are due to an autoimmune disease called Addison's disease or autoimmune adrenalitis.
    • Tertiary adrenal insufficiency is due to hypothalamic disease and decrease in corticotropin releasing factor (CRF).
    • For chronic adrenal insufficiency, the major contributors are autoimmune adrenalitis, tuberculosis, AIDS, and metastatic disease.
    • Autoimmune adrenalitis may be part of Type 2 autoimmune polyglandular syndrome, (which can include type 1 diabetes), hyperthyroidism, autoimmune thyroid disease (also known as autoimmune thyroiditis and Hashimoto's disease).

  • Sjögren's Syndrome

    • Sjögren's syndrome is an autoimmune disease in which immune cells attack and destroy the exocrine glands that produce tears and saliva.
    • Sjögren's syndrome, also known as "Mikulicz disease" and "Sicca syndrome," is a systemic autoimmune disease in which immune cells attack and destroy the exocrine glands that produce tears and saliva.
    • It is estimated to affect as many as 4 million people in the United States alone, making it the second most common autoimmune rheumatic disease.
    • Sjögren's can damage vital organs of the body, and its symptom may plateau, worsen, or go into remission, as with other autoimmune diseases.
    • Some people may experience only the mild symptoms of dry eyes and mouth, while others have symptoms of severe disease.

  • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

    • Systemic lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disease that can affect any part of the body, leading to inflammation and tissue damage.
    • Systemic lupus erythematosus, often abbreviated to SLE or lupus, is a systemic autoimmune disease (or autoimmune connective tissue disease) that can affect any part of the body.
    • As occurs in other autoimmune diseases, the immune system attacks the body's cells and tissue, resulting in inflammation and tissue damage.
    • Mild or remittent disease may, sometimes, be safely left untreated.
    • Drugs unrelated to SLE should be prescribed only when known not to exacerbate the disease.

  • Dermatomyositis and Polymyositis

    • The cause is unknown, but it may result from either a viral infection or an autoimmune reaction.
    • In the latter case, it is a systemic autoimmune disease.
    • Some cases of dermatomyositis actually "overlap" (i.e., coexist with or are part of a spectrum that includes) other autoimmune diseases such as Sjögren's syndrome, lupus, scleroderma, or vasculitis.
    • Polymyositis is also associated with interstitial lung diseases.
    • The cause of polymyositis is unknown and may involve viruses and autoimmune factors.

  • Maturation of T Cells

    • This process does not remove thymocytes that may become sensitized against self-antigens, which causes autoimmunity.
    • The potentially autoimmune cells are removed by the process of negative selection.
    • This process is an important component of central tolerance, or the ability for immune cells to not attack parts of the "self", and serves to prevent the formation of self-reactive T cells that are capable of inducing autoimmune diseases in the host.
    • Autoimmune diseases reflect a loss of central tolerance, in which the body's own B and T cells become sensitized towards self antigens.
    • Many autoimmune disorders are humoral in that they are primarily antibody mediated, but many disorders are T cell mediated instead, such as Chrohn's disease (a disease in which T cells attack the colon).

  • Hypersensitivity

    • A hypersensitivity reaction refers to an overreactive immune system triggered by allergies and autoimmunity.
    • Hypersensitivity (also called hypersensitivity reaction) refers to undesirable reactions produced by the normal immune system, including allergies and autoimmunity, and are commonly mediated by antibodies.
    • Associated disorders: Autoimmune hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, Erythroblastosis, fetalis, Goodpasture's syndrome, Membranous nephropathy, Graves' disease, Myasthenia Gravis.
    • Associated disorders: Contact dermatitis, Mantoux test, Chronic transplant rejection, Multiple sclerosis, T-cells VAutoimmune disease receptor mediated, Graves' disease,Myasthenia Gravis.