AUTOIMMUNE DISORDERS
An autoimmune disorder is a disease process that involves extensive tissue damage, through cells attacking themselves because they are unable to differentiate between self and invader. It results from a reverse function of an immune system which causes it to self-destruct. It is the development of an immune response to one’s own tissues. It is often described as an attack on the “self”. It results from a failure to distinguish “self” proteins from “foreign” proteins. There are several different autoimmune disorders. I have chosen to focus on Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.
Etiology:
An autoimmune disorder characterized by the inflammation of essentially any part of the body. Autoimmune disorders, including this one, are characterized by the body producing antibodies against its own cells. In this case the condition is chronic, incurable, and is a multisystem inflammatory disorder, which damages connective tissues. Connective tissues connect, support, bind, or separate tissues or organs, such as tendons, skin, bone, blood vessels, etc. It is a disease with exacerbations (periods where the clinical manifestations are prevalent) and remissions (periods where clinical manifestations are not present). It is distinguished by inflammation, and affects several organ systems, such as the musculoskeletal, renal, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and integumentary systems. The origin continues to be a mystery however, there is increasing evidence that immunologic, hormonal, genetic, and possibly viral factors may contribute. Genetic predisposition, along with a precipitating factor or agent, seems to play a role in most cases. It is most prevalent in women of childbearing age and those with African origins. The survival rate has increased but it remains a serious illness.
Clinical Manifestations:
- Oral ulcers (a sore or open wound in the mouth)
- Arthralgias (pain in joints) or Arthritis (painful inflammation and stiffness of the joints)
- Vasculitis (inflammation of a blood vessel or blood vessels)
- Rash (a reddened area on a person’s skin)
- Nephritis (inflammation of the kidney’s)
- Pericarditis (inflammation of the pericardium, which is a protective layer enclosing the heart)
- Synovitis (inflammation of synovial membrane, which are present in free moving joints like the knee which creates a cushion to support the joint, releases fluid to reduce friction)
- Organic brain syndromes (a mental abnormality resulting from a change in the structure or function of the brain)
- Peripheral neuropathies (damage or a disease that affects the peripheral nervous system which can affect sensation, movement, and gland
or organ function)
- Anemia (a deficiency of the red blood cells or of hemoglobin the protein that carries oxygen to the cells in your body)
- Leukopenia (reduction in the number of white blood cells in the blood, white blood cells help fight infection)
- Thrombocytopenia (a deficiency of platelets which play a major role in clotting blood when an injury has occurred)
- Coagulopathies (bloods ability to clot is affected, can result in prolonged or excessive bleeding)
- Immunosuppression (partial or complete suppression, end, to the immune response)
- Dermatitis (condition of the skin where it becomes red, swollen, and sore, sometimes it can include small blisters)
- Erythematous butterfly rash (butterfly shaped rash across the cheeks and bridge of nose)
- Alopecia (partial or complete hair loss from an area of the body where hair normally grows, baldness)
Etiology:
An autoimmune disorder characterized by the inflammation of essentially any part of the body. Autoimmune disorders, including this one, are characterized by the body producing antibodies against its own cells. In this case the condition is chronic, incurable, and is a multisystem inflammatory disorder, which damages connective tissues. Connective tissues connect, support, bind, or separate tissues or organs, such as tendons, skin, bone, blood vessels, etc. It is a disease with exacerbations (periods where the clinical manifestations are prevalent) and remissions (periods where clinical manifestations are not present). It is distinguished by inflammation, and affects several organ systems, such as the musculoskeletal, renal, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and integumentary systems. The origin continues to be a mystery however, there is increasing evidence that immunologic, hormonal, genetic, and possibly viral factors may contribute. Genetic predisposition, along with a precipitating factor or agent, seems to play a role in most cases. It is most prevalent in women of childbearing age and those with African origins. The survival rate has increased but it remains a serious illness.
Clinical Manifestations:
- Oral ulcers (a sore or open wound in the mouth)
- Arthralgias (pain in joints) or Arthritis (painful inflammation and stiffness of the joints)
- Vasculitis (inflammation of a blood vessel or blood vessels)
- Rash (a reddened area on a person’s skin)
- Nephritis (inflammation of the kidney’s)
- Pericarditis (inflammation of the pericardium, which is a protective layer enclosing the heart)
- Synovitis (inflammation of synovial membrane, which are present in free moving joints like the knee which creates a cushion to support the joint, releases fluid to reduce friction)
- Organic brain syndromes (a mental abnormality resulting from a change in the structure or function of the brain)
- Peripheral neuropathies (damage or a disease that affects the peripheral nervous system which can affect sensation, movement, and gland
or organ function)
- Anemia (a deficiency of the red blood cells or of hemoglobin the protein that carries oxygen to the cells in your body)
- Leukopenia (reduction in the number of white blood cells in the blood, white blood cells help fight infection)
- Thrombocytopenia (a deficiency of platelets which play a major role in clotting blood when an injury has occurred)
- Coagulopathies (bloods ability to clot is affected, can result in prolonged or excessive bleeding)
- Immunosuppression (partial or complete suppression, end, to the immune response)
- Dermatitis (condition of the skin where it becomes red, swollen, and sore, sometimes it can include small blisters)
- Erythematous butterfly rash (butterfly shaped rash across the cheeks and bridge of nose)
- Alopecia (partial or complete hair loss from an area of the body where hair normally grows, baldness)